Myths of Ganwyng
by Trevor X
Summary: A Master of Light. The Shadow of a Mountain. Shadow's Flame. Son of the Dragon. What turmoil awaits in Ganwyng? A sword waits there, one that can divide even a god from his power...
1. Chapter 1: Ascending Light

_'thought', _"Talking", _"Ancient text or whisper", Ancient Text,_

_---_

_"For everything under heaven, there is a purpose."_

_-_

A solitary figure stood head bowed in the midst of lightly swirling sand. No sound could be heard except for the wind as it lifted the tiny particles and threw them down again. Hours passed, and still the scene remained the same. Then of a sudden, the wind stilled to a whisper, the sand settling in its proper place. The figure raised its head; light blue eyes gazed forward sorrowfully. A sudden flash, a pillar of light, then all was still once again. The wind resumed its games, and the figure vanished from sight.

Quatre, a young noble of Ganwyng, stood silent among the tombs that lined the ancient city of Cou'di Abra. Born of Light and Earth, he stilled his troubled thoughts. "I am the Master." The golden head lifted, sorrow plain on his features as he whispered only one word. "_Why?_"

Tears coursed their paths down the face of the young man as he turned to his memories. '_Why father, did you have to die?'_ Laying down the scroll he held in his hands, he spread his arms wide, seeming to attempt to gather the whole world in their compass. Slowly the words of an ancient chant made their way from trembling lips.

_"One from waters, one from sky, One from mountain, born to die._  
_Watching from the realms of light, Comes the shadow but tis slight._  
_Father, now on high to hear, Come to make the Master feel._  
_Make darkness flee, from out of me, that I may bear the Light."_

It seemed for a moment that nothing happened, then he gave a heart wrenching cry and fell face down, into darkness.

While he lay so, a second figure appeared beside the prone figure. Another young man, like as the young noble who was unconscious to the world, except that his hair blew a dark brown, knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder. Immediately his face contorted with the inner pain that was being communicated by his lord. Finally Quatre arose.

"Trevor, are you well?" Concern etched the face of the young man as he noticed his companion bent over as if in pain. His companion recovered from the shock of the incident and nodded. "You must be strong Master Quatre. Having a natural empathy, you will feel the pain the more." Quatre turned aside his face for a moment, then looking back nodded. "And you as well; for though you are not the Master, you have been chosen to help me bear the burden, Brother."

Trevor looked thoughtful for a moment. "Things shall never be as they once were."

"No they will not. But come, Trowa awaits our return." The two clasped hands and a glow surrounded them. Moments later, the deserted city was empty again; only an old scroll lay flapping in the breeze.

---

_Death by darkness, death by night,_  
_Take away the old that there may_  
_be the new to take the light._

Far away in the capital of Ganwyng, a sorceress clapped her hands together. "Indeed! the prophecy is beginning to fulfill itself. This will mean doom to the wars that are upon us, and those who lead. You would hear of this, would you not?" Gathering her robes around, she slipped out of the room, leaving a book upon the table. Her pale blond hair streamed out behind as she hurried down the hall.

Hesitating outside the door, she pondered her next move. It was not wise mayhap, to lay out every revelation to her liege, although he might possible discern if she left anything out. In his own way, he was a powerful wizard. Making up her mind, she played absently with the light and shadows that swirled about her form. Mistress of illusions, her gift often came in handy when gathering and sharing information. With a haughty air, she strode into the chamber, nodding to the man seated by the window.

"Greetings liege."

The man stood, his cape flowing around his muscular frame. A sword hung at his side; altogether he made an imposing figure. "Welcome cousin. And need I remind you that no titles are between us?" Dorothy raised an eyebrow at that, but let it pass. "I assume you have found something."

The eyebrow raised even farther, and the sorceress forgot her haughty mannerisms for a moment to stare. The shadows danced around her however, allowing her to resume her superior attitude. With a flick of her wrist the light and shadows danced from before her and came to rest in front of the warrior.

"Yes Treize, I have." Treize smirked, bemusedly and bent his head to study the scroll that had materialized in front of him. How little his cousin truly understood about him. She was so naive, and yet, so useful. However, the scroll in front of him produced no surprise. "Tis but one of the old prophecies." He stated simply, waving it away with his hand. It dissolved into nothing.

The sorceress spun on him and spoke pointedly. "The new Master of Light fits the prophecy, your excellency." When he waved her away, she continued. "And the prophecy speaks of the downfall of your line, the destruction of the kingdoms." He dismissed her with a nod. As she turned to leave, he spoke. "If you are so worried about it, fair cousin, you should find some way to stop it."

The sorceress stared for a moment before gathering her skirts about her and disappearing through the door.

---

_Forty dwarves in halls of stone, forty giants are alone,_  
_Waiting to release their might when summoned by the Master's Light._

_See the sands around them sweep, as though they dwell under the deep,_  
_Silence falls, as does the gloom, in the darkness of their tomb._

_Whom the sword of truth command, upward through the swirling sand,_  
_When violence breaks across the land, then forward shall the chosen stand._

_Against the Two, who in their might, gather armies in the night,_  
_Both endued with loyal hate, Death, destruction are their fate._

_Six will come, one will fall, one to bear the pain of all,_  
_Five will help that one to mend, and to the light their might will bend._

Forty thrones sat in the silence of the giant hall. In the darkness therein, the forty manlike shapes could never be distinguished, as they rested from the labors of the day. Although visible to no human eyes for the present, if any man had seen them, he would have sworn that they were just as much stone as the seats upon which they sat. And truly, they looked it. For these were the forty dwarves of the Sandroc. Magnificent they were, and strong.

Each possessed broad shoulders from which the wide arms descended; arms that wielded the hammer and sword. The great chest descended to the lower torso, bound as it were, by bands of iron. Long legs completed each, the sinewy members resting now, but capable of great speed when necessary.

Long stayed they thus, immobile, immovable, immortal in their rest. The day would come when their awakening would stir them into the battle once again, but for now they rested from labors past, awaiting with endless patience the events of the future.

---

Shadows fell on the mountains, as dark eyes scanned the expanse below. The wind swirled about the peaks, singing its news of the world at hand. Ignoring for the present the nuisance of the flapping of their capes, three figures stood upon an outcropping of rock, studying the land from the heights. At last the elder of the trio moved his head, gray hair blowing in the breeze.

"Darkness comes, my sons. A foul presence begins to cover the lands to the south."

"Yes Elder, verily it seems to be so." The younger man shifted his cape more comfortably around himself, nervously fumbling with the golden braid that lined it. "But more than this I cannot tell, either from wind or with the eye."

Their remaining companion nodded his agreement, seemingly content to remain silent. For many long moments they stood together before the old one turned away to the scant trail that led to the aerie. "Long have we dwelt in the shadows, my friends. Now perhaps, it is but time that we send out into the world to see what cannot be seen from the mountains."

His weathered face turned thoughtful, he stayed his step to turn again to his companions. "Send out the Shadow Lords."

---

The day was growing old. The silent noted this as he observed the waning of the light under the forest canopy. All around the outside of his shelter, the creatures of the daylight finished their routines, heading for water and the safety of nest and burrow. The solitary whine of the cicada was joined by a chorus of chirrups from the crickets that hid inside of the long grass. Beside him, the large dog form stirred restlessly.

_(I know, my friend.)_ And he did know. The brothers were long in returning to this place, a thing most unlike them. However, the extenuating circumstances surrounding the first ritual could explain the delay. A firm touch on the shoulder kept the animal from moving around too much, as the one continued to watch the day turn into night.

Rastis turned his head to his companion. His long tongue lolled out of his mouth while he gazed questioningly at the human. (_Why are they waiting so long to return?)_ The wolf did not approve of any change in the comforts of the daily schedule, because to him they denoted danger. Unknown is danger.

Firmly Trowa shook his head. (_Unknown is unknown. Perhaps danger, yes. Perhaps no. One cannot say of the things he cannot see. And maybe not even then...)_ His attention was arrested by the glow emerging from near at hand. As it faded, it left behind two man-shapes. Rastis immediately bounded to his feet, earnestly scenting the air to determine their identity. With a happy yelp he leapt forward to greet them.

"Hello Rastis." The voice was gentle, carrying an undertone that bespoke of great exertions and greater weariness. The wolf basked under the gentle pat on the head. The blond elf turned to the silent human standing in the clearing. "Trowa, I trust all is well?"

The silent one nodded, indicating the animal standing to one side. "Rastis thought otherwise, but it is none of his fault. He is not used to you making such a long absence."

The dark haired youth spoke in his turn. "The ritual, although simple in its execution of phrase, was highly taxing to the physical body." He shook his head, almost as if he disbelieved the words that he spoke. "How could anyone have anticipated it?"

Trowa bowed slightly, acknowledging his own bewilderment at the trials that must be endured to become the head of the Brotherhood. In turn, he lifted a hand in gesture to the hut behind him, a wordless question. Quatre nodded, preceding the silent one in entering the interior. The dark haired lad lingered a few moments longer, the wolf Rastis by his side. Blue eyes flashed green as the half-elf, the joiner, stared into the evening's quiet.

"What have we all, dear friend, to do?" Silence fell in the wake of his question, and he looked down at the wolf. Rastis lowered his head as though in understanding, then proceeded to lope off into the deepening dusk. With a sigh, Trevor turned on his heel and entered the dwelling, wondering again what the animal had sensed beyond.

---

_AN: Edited slightly. Hopefully this is a little bit easier to read. nods to readers N-E-ways, read and review._


	2. Chapter 2: Shadow's Quest

Many miles beyond either the weary trio of brothers or the wind shrouded mountains wandered another, lonelier figure. A gaunt shadow, seeming to stride with great weariness over the ground which he now tread. No wind buffeted him, nor did the tang of the night's air reach to him. Instead, the smell of earth and the heat from below the rocks rose to caress him. He was a wandering shadow...

Ahead of him the earth melted away from before his path, restoring itself after his passage. Miles passed while he traveled under the surface, many miles until he reached his destination. Once there he paused while the flow of earth and fire called to him. Reluctantly he released his hold on them, the earth below him surging his body upwards to stand upon the surface. He needed to take care of this in person.

As the ground settled beneath his feet, the stranger took stock of his surroundings. Standing still and alone was the battlement surrounding the base of the tower, its stones blackened by battles long ago. The tower itself was constructed of granite, and the faint whisper of the magic that had been employed in the construction reached his ears.

Turning to the right hand or the left revealed the rough sod hovels of the village, built near the sacred ground upon which the now abandoned tower sat. Against the peasants that populated the area he held no grudge. On the other hand... his gaze shifted to take in the sharp outlines of the barracks wherein the garrison slumbered. The soldiers took for themselves, leaving little for the people to survive upon. Though nominally engaged to guard the historical legend, they prepared daily for an inevitable encounter with the opposing army. Their lord might be taking a particular amount of interest in the ancient legends, but they would much rather deal with an enemy that truly existed.

_ Tomorrow evening... _thoughts drifted away as the shadowed form merged into the darkness, becoming lost to the sight of all.

He waked again to the waning of the day's last light. The muted sounds of the village came to him in his place of repose. Underneath the murmurings of the population and clanking of metal on metal, there came the reassuring buzz of the cicadas from the forest surrounding. Slowly he stretched, then stepped away from the side of the building. A shadow now, passing on the edges of sight; if any saw, they would assume some bird of prey had overflown.

Nearly a full day's rest. He wove his way skillfully, sometimes underfoot, at times upon the walls of the nearby huts, but always moving towards the barracks. Let's see, the last time that I had that would have been a year or so, just before the shadows began to speak again. Along with the earth and fire. Beginning a great demand to open the ancient places... which has taken me quite some time to accomplish, I might add.

For a moment, fiery eyes blazed in the shadow, then winked out suddenly. It was a dangerous thing to do, as his presence was looked upon as an evil omen in most communities and cultures. Shadow fey were looked upon as bogeymen, monsters in dark tales that devoured the flesh of the slain. The apparition shuddered at the remembrance of some of the stories. Mixing the traits of both ghouls and shadow creatures would indeed create monsters.

Sadly however, the once large community had begun to dwindle, only a few thousand fey left to try to continue on in hiding. Sightings had become rarer, they dwindled away into a myth, a legend that no one alive now believes.

Stifling a sigh, the shadow leapt the distance remaining to his destination. Within a few hours the garrison would be getting a surprise that might bring to mind those tales again.

The space was tight and cramped, and the waiting had nearly exhausted her meager supply of patience, but at least the information gained had been worthwhile. At least, that's what she told herself, attempting to stave off the inevitable assault of sleep. Dropping down from her perch into a nearby alley, the blond haired female winced at the aches revealed by the movement. A quick scan indicated that the streets remained mostly deserted at this early hour. Still...

She was up and moving in an instant, moving to blend with the shadows between the buildings. Better to be unseen for sure, rather than be spotted while one believed oneself to be safe. Darting between doorways, ducking into the sewers, and finally reappearing aboveground, she made her way finally to the safe house. Two shadows waited for her there, starting out of a light sleep when she opened the door.

"Miduniel! What news?"

Midii shrugged as she turned towards the speaker. A human male, with dirty red hair and quiet swagger, Q'ivel was her 'partner', though she used that term extremely lightly. He'd been up for execution five years previous, on the count of theft of the house jewels of the Ambassador of Tierarun. The ambassador demanded the ritual punishment of his country for the insult: having the convict's throat cut while being hung.

Midii had been in the crowd that day. Less impressed with his offense than the manner in which he'd kept his pursuit off balance by using the sewers and houses, she'd determined to delay his demise. Coolly she'd palmed the jewels off of him, planting them back on the ambassador as he stalked back and forth before the gathered crowd, demanding 'justice'. Needless to say, when a search of his person failed to turn up the jewels, the magistrates had released Q'ivel, and an anonymous voice shouted for an examination of the ambassador.

The ambassador swore to avenge himself on the person responsible for his humiliation, but none could tell him anything with regards to that affair. It was rumored that he still nursed a bitter grudge towards the incorporeal offender.

The spy disregarded that threat, deeming the ambassador a petty man. Q'ivel was grateful when she revealed herself, trying to ingratiate himself into her bed. When that didn't work, he tried to grab her. Once. He spent the remainder of the night pinned to the wall by his hand. He'd cut the half-elf a wide swathe after that time. He'd never stopped flirting, of course, and Midii suspected that he used it to try and irritate her. If his information hadn't been so vital to her wellbeing in this city...

"Miduniel, have things changed in the ways and paths this past cycle?"

The second figure turned to face her from his position at the rough table that graced the center of the room. A dark cloak and hood concealed his features, but although he dressed as a commoner, the disguise really hid Altisen Woodcloak, one of the more powerful sorcerers in the Elven Court. His magics were subdued here, but enough to cloak his presence from the mages employed by the enforcers in the towers. Matters being what they were, all spellcasters were required to register with the local council in Ab Bortaan, capital of Ganwyng.

That said, Altisen's visits were of necessity a rare thing; his business being to relay to the Court all pertinent information on the conditions of Ganwyng gathered by the 'roots and vines'. Midii let her cloak slide to the floor as she sat down on the single bed against the wall. Smudges of dirt on her face showed up poorly in the flickering light of the room's two candles.

"They are determined to continue on their present course, aiming to intensify the conflict until it breaks out into open war. Motives are as of this time still unclear, at least from 'His Excellency'. I understand that several of his commanders and nobles seek to turn it into an opportunistic land grab."

"However, last even's conversation held an interesting twist." The spy turned her gaze to her ineffable partner and raised a slender eyebrow in inquiry. "What do you know about an ancient legend, or prophecy?"

Q'ivel shrugged carelessly, bangs falling into his eyes as he shifted his position against the wall. "Dunno really. Never had the time or desire to delve into musty tomes of ancient knowledge." His mask of unconcern slipped momentarily, showing a tinge of worry. It was gone in an instant, but the elven spymaster noted it, and determined to alert his underling to the fact.

Midii just shrugged and looked back to the cloaked figure. "It seems that a certain sorceress is concerned about the implications of a prophecy for the current war in progress. According to her, a 'master of light' matches the descriptions in it, and will bode ill for his Excellency and his ambitions. In fact, destruction of the kingdoms, if I remember correctly."

There was movement at the table, and as Midii closed her eyes, Q'ivel disappeared soundlessly from the room. Only a slight creaking of the door hinges alerted the two remaining in the room of his absence. Instantly the spellcaster was on his feet, rushing over to pull Midii to her feet. "Quickly now! Your rat has gone to hunt his hole, and we need to fly this place!" Wearily the spy stood to her feet and retrieved her meager belongings, shrugging back into her cloak.

With cautious movements, the pair made their way out of the building, and into the city proper. While they strode along the public ways, Altisen was silent, not having spoken beyond his dire warning to depart. For her part, Midii was too weary to sustain any conversation, and it took too much effort to be aware of the surrounding area for her to query her superior about his sudden haste.

The gates were open, and unnoticed by any passersby, the pair slipped outside the walls and into the relative safety of the forest a mile beyond. Only then did they feel comfortable enough to stay their pace seek shelter.

Altisen turned to the half elf and spoke in a low tone. "I regret that I could not mention it earlier. I fear however, that your comrade has turned traitor to you at some point, or was from the beginning. His exit proves nothing, for he could simply have gone out to raid some eatery, but I feel that it is time to remove you from the city. It cannot be helped."

Midii nodded, too tired to debate the move. The elven wizard softened his tone somewhat, speaking, yet in whispers. "It would behoove us, who strive to see peace, to know of this prophecy, and of whom they speak; the 'master of light', whether he be a force for good or evil in this world. This then, be thy assignment."

"And now, take your rest, for I shall see to it that you are not disturbed by any, till you have regained your strength and alertness. Shalt need both I think, on coming journeys." He smiled kindly, then departed the hollow where they had spoken, and began to weave wards around it. Contented that the barrier would shield her from harm, Altisen Woodcloak departed the region with all haste, hurrying to come to the Elven Court before the day should end.

Daylight broke over the forest before she awoke. Stretching and yawning, the dark haired beauty gazed with wonder on the hints of light that filtered through the canopy of leaves overhead. Purple eyes blinked the last hints of sleep away and focused intently on the forest floor below. Nothing unusual stirred, nor seemed out of place. With practiced grace, the girl leapt down to land on the ground.

Hilde grinned as a rabbit burst from cover at her sudden entrance, bolting from the undergrowth to explode down the trail at a terrible rate of speed. A yawn cut off a giggle, and she shook her head in wonderment. Time for a quick dip in the lake, then off to market again!

An hour later, she stepped lightly alongside the path that led to the village, hair still damp from her bath. Warily she watched the way, ears tuned the slightest sounds. Those same ears that proclaimed her different from the rest of the world. "An elf." some declared, and most tended to agree, though a few detractors commented on the color of her eyes and the fire that lay behind them.

Aye, fire. For the lady was not without protection. Sighing, she remembered the two or three times that she'd had to burn someone to make them leave her alone. Conjuring up flames, the smell of burnt flesh. Horrible stench, that. Also being the reason for her present caution: the last episode had happened to a member of the garrison that was quartered near the village. Some of the soldiers hadn't quite forgiven what she had done to their comrade.

She shrugged idly as she walked along. He had it coming; when he didn't listen to her pleas and warnings, she'd blasted his face and arm. His agony was swift and severe. No female would ever look favorably upon him again. He lay for a week being tended by the herb woman who served as a physician of sorts for the peasants. Now he glared at her from the shadows of the barracks whenever she came to buy food or sell her woven baskets, so she generally made herself scarce.

As she drew near the village however, she stopped and sniffed the air attentively. Wood smoke, definitely recent. Had someone started a brushfire to clear off the old growth for new farmland?

Through a final break in the treeline Hilde caught a glimpse of the village. Her heart caught in her throat as she surveyed the ruins of several buildings. Smoke rose in lazy wisps from the soot blackened ground, smoldering still as if from some great heat. And to the east, the old blackened tower glowed with red heat.


	3. Chapter 3: Son of the Dragon

Slowly and methodically he moved to the ancient rhythms of the sword. With breathtaking ease, he slashed away at the air around him, the blade whistling with the speed with which he wielded it. _Wufei, Son of the Dragon_. Abruptly the kata came to an end, and the swordsman returned to an upright position, sword held in salute to his shadow opponent. With sure movements he returned it to its sheath, and moved out of the cathedral dome. 

For an instant, as his eyes opened, they glowed silver; a moment later they returned to a deep black. His gaze traveled over the wide horizon visible from the high place where he stood now. The Cathedral of Ages was only accessible to climbers and flyers, and few of either remained yet visible to the common man. Still fewer cared to visit the ancient places, remaining in their own private haunts after the beginning of the unrest among the world of men. 

Touching the hilt of the sword on his back gently, the youth thought back to his reason for coming to the deserted high place. 

_ -- Flashback --_

_ He was sitting in the midst of a meadow full of flowers. Mountains rose on all sides, but that did not bother Son of the Dragon. Mountains were not unconquerable to one such as himself. The sky remained a clear and cloudless blue, the fragrance of the flowers rose on the breeze. He closed his eyes and basked in the momentary calm, the heat of the sun beating down on his face._

_ When he opened his eyes, he was not alone. There she stood. She beckoned to him, bidding him draw nearer. And he did so, warily, but doing as he was bidden. Finally he stood in front of her with his gaze questioning, wondering what she desired._

_ Her hair blew in the breeze, long dark strands, the color of the midnight sky. Her face clear complexioned, eyes dark and slanted. Mere moments she stood there floating above the ground, allowing him to study her. Then she spoke, the words coming forth clear and strong. Song of the Warrior sang throughout her voice._

_ "Go to the Dome of the High Ones, you who seek to bring forth justice. There to wait until you receive the sign of the Holy One, the Most Revered One. Seek there the Sword, Justice Incarnate, the judging one. Go now, Son of the Dragon."_

_ He bowed then, recognizing her as a higher being, a spirit messenger of the High Ones; and at his salute she faded away from his vision. Her words still playing on the wind: "Go to the Dome of the High Ones..."_

_ And so he had departed, and so he had come to this place; the Dome of Ancient Times, built of the High Ones._

_ -- End Flashback --_

Now as he stood upon the cliff's edge, he wondered again at the instructions. _"Seek there the Sword…"_ What could it possibly mean? The Cathedral had stood here for millennia and nowhere in that time had any weapon been forged inside its hallowed walls. The gods themselves had forbidden it. And even if such a thing had happened, any weapon would long ago have been removed: The Cathedral consisted only of open rooms, situated above several hundred feet of solid stone. Nowhere in the ancient lays was anything spoken of tunnels or chambers beneath. With the holy place, all things were in the open. 

_Still, I will do as I have been sent to do: Wait._ The warrior stepped back into the shadows of the ruin and disappeared. 

Far away another warrior began to grasp his destiny. For a long moment he stood gazing at the object that lay in the center of it all. The artifact flickered along the whole of its length as though made of fire, whilst throughout it the shadows swirled. Awestruck, the fey calmed himself and took care to study the wards that surrounded the sword. Of an extreme age, they radiated a pure power that no one in this day and age wielded; At least, not to Duo's knowledge. 

"No wonder this has stayed here for the past millenia. They couldn't get to it through the wards. Pretty straightforward if you know what to look for though." 

Slowly the Shadow Fey began to weave his own magic, incorperating fire and shadow into the weaving of the wards, using it as one would use a key in the lock of a house. Even more carefully he began to twist the magic, seeking to release the bonds that kept him from his objective. 

_ And the fire spoke of the dancing flames..._

The magic flowed through him, surging into the wards as he cautiously directed its course. A twist here, a slight change there; A humming noise began in the background of his mind, almost as if some invisible musician had begun to play. 

_ ...The shadows told of the dark immortal..._

He added a touch of shadows now, letting it grow stronger into the weave of the spell. Soothing darkness danced within the fire, matching step and springing in and out of the holes left by its partners. The sound within began a duet. 

_ ... And the earth, resounding with the music of the age, sang of gods incarnate._

A touch of earth, the steady feeling that kept the magic grounded, was added to the mix. It flowed in smoothly beneath its pirouetting partners, complementing their grace in a more land bound display. The song rose higher now. 

_ Sing of the swords!_

The tower glowed ever brighter, and then the sudden sound of stone shattering. Crystaline shards fell to the ground, and the Shadow Fire burned strong in the hand of its wielder. Duo smiled and raised the sword aloft while a pathway opened beneath him, straight through the center of the tower to the earth below. Without a sound he fell through the floor; five stories straight down.   
  


Dawn broke over the forest, and she stirred uneasily in her sleep. The wards had kept away all physical harm, but could not dissuade the horrors of the dreamworld from making their presence known. Demons ran unchecked in her dreams, familiar faces most of them. With a start, Midii awakened and stared wildly about her. A jaybird stared down in surprise from his perch in a tree at the sudden stirring. 

Seeing nothing amiss in the clearing, Midii took the time to stand and stretch. Her joints cracked and muscles protested the movements, but in mere moments they loosened up to allow her freedom of movement. Wearily she gazed again at the perimeter of the clearing, noting the absence of wildlife excepting birds. 

"It must have been part of the spell. Warm-blooded creatures on two legs or four." 

Stooping, she picked up her belongings, and then chanted the words to release the spell. "Wall of force blocking life, dissipate and cause no strife." 

The wards disappeared, leaving behind no trace of the prohibitive magics that had guarded the spy during the night. Midii strode off into trees, her destination a small villa within a short distance. There she could retrieve her horse and resume her journey. Perhaps also obtain some further supplies. The haste of exit had not allowed for any ease of stockpiling. 

A few hours of traveling brought her out into the peaceful valley that she sought. Several horses grazed in the long grass that grew there, none of them paying any attention to the arrival of the half-elf. Midii made her way down beside a dappled gray, resting her hand on its flank. "Well, here I am again, Steel Boy. Bet you can't wait to get on the road again." 

The horse in question snorted and raised his head, fire in his eyes as he looked at his mistress. She laughed and led him back towards the house. "I need to settle things with the landlord and then we'll go." 

Hilderberg emerged from the house as the pair neared it. "Ah, Lady! Welcome to my humble abode. Have you come to take away my customer?" At the spy's answering nod, he gestured expansively with his arms. "Well Lady, I suppose I will allow you to take him away. He has been a most obliging customer, if I do say so myself. Never has he needed any extra care, keeping away from trouble with all diligence. Most delightful in a horse." 

They reached the house then, and the man ducked inside to grab his ledger and returned, flipping through the pages to find the right entry. "Ah, here you are. Total price you be owing to this house is two hundred and fifty silver pieces." The half-elf nodded and absently counted out the price for the man, then turned aside to the barn to collect the rest of her tack. Hilderberg counted the money and put it away, marking the account as paid in the ledger. When he returned outdoors, the spy was gone.   
  


The sorceress scowled as she lay across her bed. How in the world does Treize expect me to find this 'master of light', let alone keep him from fulfilling the prophecy? I'm not the god who set this thing in motion. A sigh escaped her lips as she considered her current project. Hopeless would be the way to describe it. However, he won't relent so easily. I should have kept my mouth shut. 

Idly she played with the light and shadows in the room. Perhaps if he should miss a portion of his ascension ritual, but still think that he completed it? Or perhaps he can be distracted from his goals… 

Shrugging her shoulders, Dorothy sat up and began to plot her course. She did live to serve her cousin, after all.   
  


Heero stared at the country before him with something akin to awe. Of course, no one who saw him would have noticed it through the hard expression on his face, but it was still there. The Shadow Lord was used to the hard cold mountains from which his clan derived their living. Out here however, the hills rolled with life and warmth, and his earth-sense resounded with the call of the trees and plants. With the coolness of his icy heritage the young man denied to others what he felt within himself, however. 

It had been long since the Shadow Lords had been called upon for any duty higher than hunting down the winter wolves that terrorized the lower villages during the winter months. That in and of itself was always an interesting proposition; wolves were themselves hunters, and stalking them was always a challenge. 

Now however, the challenge was to read the mood of the people of this land, without allowing them to sense his purpose. His innate connection to the earth would hide him from most persons, and his cold demeanor would allow him to bluff his way through most confrontation that might arise. The elders wanted to know what was going on; they would know soon. 

Stretching, Heero turned down towards the valley. The time of contemplation and enjoyment was at an end. Now it was time to move forward with the mission he had been assigned. His eyes hardened slightly, seeming almost to be made of ice themselves. Whatever was going on in this land wouldn't be hidden for long. 

The hunter had arrived.  
  
----

_ To those of you who have reviewed this story, my thanks. It is highly gratifying to know that someone is reading and had the courtesy to say so. I will try to keep things understandable as I progress in the storyline, and also ensure better readability. It still might be rough however, and I ask for your understanding as I continue. There is a plot that I am following and I may do some rewriting to ensure better quality. Also, if this chapter is any easier to read, let me know so that I can update the previous ones._

_Trev_


	4. Chapter 4: Hope and Despair

Others also had awakened with the coming of the dawn. Trowa stood outside in the dewy morning with Rastis by his side. The wolf stood stock still with his nose to the wind, seemingly heedless to the world around him. Neither stirred as another figure joined them in the open air.

"Trowa."

The taller lad acknowledged the greeting with the slight forward motion of his head. For moments afterward they kept the silence, until joined by the third member who took up a song as he exited the hut. In unison the other two joined their voices to harmonize with the singer.

_Forth to the day at hand,_

_The morning light awaits_

_To guide us all along the way._

_As in the darkness stand_

_We all with faces raising_

_Behold the light as it heralds the day._

_We band together here_

_In song a chorus raise_

_And watch as rays of light _

_Do set the world ablaze._

_Behold the light conquers the darkness!_

_Behold the sun, whose warmth doth nurture well._

_Behold the dark is now receding,_

_As comes the light, to break the dark that fell._

Here in the song, Trowa and Quatre stepped closer to one another and held out their hands to each other, palm to palm.

_We come to face the light,_

_As touch we now the rays;_

_We seek to banish darkness_

_And champion the day._

The light fell on the glen, and as it touched them, the two vanished into the beams, leaving a single voice to finish the last line. Rastis finally shook himself out of his trance and trotted over to the remaining member. Trevor scratched the wolf behind the ears before leading the way into the dwelling.

"Come Rastis, let us make up something to give us strength for waiting."

-

Elsewhere on the continent others stirred as well. The Elven Court sat in session much as it had the previous evening. None had moved since the flow of information had begun the day before. Now silence blanketed the room where they convened, the messengers having finished the retelling.

"And you are sure of this?" The query broke the silence, and the elf addressed nodded.

"Yes my liege. Quite certain. The roots are buried deep and glean much from the soil around them. There can be no mistake; war is coming to the world." His voice dropped lower, face remaining grim. "It is best that we be prepared."

"Perhaps."

Altisen now stood to his feet, stepping forward to stand with his underlings. "Princess, as is our duty we can only suggest these things. Should war pour over our borders..."

"There will be no war." Firm words broke into his speech. The princess turned to face him, face serene. "We do not have the force to withstand it in any case. If something should happen, we will evoke sanctuary for the people and the court. Then one final time I shall appear before 'he who lost his name' and beseech him on behalf of our blood kinship to stay his hand."

Several elven faces paled at the mention of this last ditch effort, the lengths at which the heir apparent would go to protect the people. Sanctuary was a spell that had been cast by their brethren in the shadows years earlier in order to place their last remaining strongholds in a differing plane of influence. They now resided in the shadow realm, a subspace dimension of their own making. It was secure by cutting off the entire rest of the world.

If the spell were cast, only elven blood would be able to access their cities ever again. The elves would fade away into legend like so many other races before them.

The princess held her poise in front of her subjects, letting none of them see the strain that she tarried under. Only her guardian, the ancient sage Pagan knew the turmoil that plagued her daily. Though the elves had maintained centuries of peaceful existence, even now it slipped from their grasp. The ones who forbade killing while in a rage lest you lose the right to be one of the people, now found themselves surrounded by anger on all sides.

_Relena. _The old sage's heart went out to his charge. As the only human allowed any status in the court, the guardian of the princess accompanied her to all state functions. Throughout the entire time spent here he maintained his silence, only choosing to speak when required by protocol to do so. Inwardly though, he longed for the whole thing to end. In the privacy of the royal chambers the princess would once again find the peace that seemed to elude her grasp in the outside world.

In the center now, Altisen bowed his head. "As you wish, leader of my people. May light show you the path, peace upon your bowers."

An elder elf stood then and declared the assembly closed. With no further ado the court broke up into two's and three's, leaving the chambers in the utmost silence. Proper decorum dictated that no noise be made upon entrance and exit to such meetings of great import, that the partakers of such might give their thoughts over to the task at hand and not the petty cares of gossip or speculation.

At last the room stood empty, save for the princess and her entourage. Relena gestured to the servants and they hastened to lead the way out of the meeting place. Pagan followed behind them, slow in his walk as his age dictated. Three hundred and fifty-seven was old for a man, though not so much for one who walked the paths of knowledge and power. Still, the body was not so quick to respond nowadays.

Their path took them deep within the palace grounds to the center where the living gardens were located. Here the princess stayed, most of those with her leaving to attend to predetermined tasks. Her guardian stilled himself beside a flowing stream, taking a seat upon the sun warmed rocks. Patiently he waited for the outpouring that he knew was to come.

"Why Pagan? Why?"

The near despair felt by the princess was evident in her tone and it tore at the old man's heart. Sadly he shook his head, although he tried to keep up a cheerful tone for her sake. "It seems the lot of most mortals to war between themselves to one degree or another. Perhaps it is just in our nature, though some of us find that other path called peace." Aged eyes watched as the elven maiden began to pace slowly through the ferns beside the stream.

"You cannot change everyone, young one. They must make their own decision for peace or conflict. It is the way that things must be. It is the way that we were first created; Freedom."

Relena stopped her movement to gaze at her mentor. Slowly she nodded, though the burden still did not lift from her heart. "Yes that is so. Yet I feel that I must do all that is within my power to stay the coming conflict; else I find myself lacking the heart to continue living. Peace is not such an unattainable goal, is it?"

The old man smiled at her, shifting his staff in his hands. "Ah, if it were, then would it not cease to exist even as a concept?"

-

Later in her chambers, Relena sat and enjoyed the afternoon sun as it shed its beams through her windows to the west. "You can come out now Noin."

At her request her shadow elongated, morphing into the form of a beautiful elf. Dark hair fell over her eyes as she straightened up and she brushed it back without a thought as she faced the princess. "How may I serve you, my lady?"

The princess sighed and turned to regard the sunbeams that flowed from the windows to the floor. Her shadow stood patiently, waiting for command or question. It came as Relena returned her attention to the inside of the room.

"What do you think of Zechs, will he listen?"

Noin pondered this for a moment, her form wreathed in shadow. "Perhaps, my lady."

At the inquiring glance, she continued. "He who lost..."

"Do not stand on the protocols for the court inside the private chambers, his name is Zechs." Relena interposed quietly. Her eyes remained sad, regardless. Loss of both parents and her brother on the same day still hung heavy on her heart.

The bodyguard nodded before resuming the explanation. "Yes my lady. Zechs is not the same as Milliardo. Your brother did indeed die that day, upon slaying in anger. To what he has become, I do not know how to answer your question. It may be however, that even from beyond the blood may call and bring reason to one in the grip of madness."

_Blood binds us all, the life we live._

_Love is the life we hold,_

_The courage to defend today,_

_Like heat against the cold..._

_Life is warmth, death is cold._

_As long as there is life, there is hope._

"But when hope departs, life is gone."

"Do not give up hope, my lady. He may yet listen. Zechs has still your best interests at heart; else he never would have sought you out to give you his name. Though how it manifests itself in his current quest I know not."

The princess laughed, a genuine sound of joy. "Perhaps you are right. My brother yet lives, dead though he may be to us. For his sake, I won't give up hope."

"Yes, my lady." A whisper from her shadow. "Never give up hope."

-

Nearly a world away, another figure stood in the shadows. An iron mask covered half of his face, the rest of his features concealed under the dark hood that he wore. Emotions remained unseen by passersby, hidden as they were by the mask. His voice, roughened by overuse in the previous day sounded forth in a whisper from the dark corner.

"_Keep away, sister mine. Between the living and the dead there should not be any communion. I would not that you be destroyed with those already dead. You are too pure for that. You must live on for our people, so that they do not lose their hope and so diminish from the world."_

-

-

-

----

_For those of you reading this, I've a few words of explanation and appology. I've just been hit recently as I look back at the dialogue that I've already written and realised that this is going be a long road to travel to get to the conclusion. And a hard road for my readers: it's not been as easy to read as I had hoped. For that I appologise. I'll try to improve, but right now putting the plot down on file is the most important thing._

_As for Quatre and Trowa, they've gone off to attend to the second portion of the "Master of Light" ceremony. I may or may not follow them in coming chapters. The scene above a ritual that teleported them to the necessary sacred place to fulfill it._

_I do have some ideas for romantic entanglements within the plotline, but if any of you readers out there wish to make suggestions, please feel free. Reviews have been most appreciated, even though I'm too lazy to round up all the individual names and post them at the end of the chapter. Consider this my thanks._

_Trevor X1_


	5. Chapter 5: Shadows and Spies

Thoughts - _'thoughts.'_

Comments - "comments."

ooo -- scene/POV change

* * *

Q'ivel lounged about the streets at an early hour listening to nearby gossip with half an ear and watching the passersby. Sharp eyes regarded each person, as the mind weighed them in a balance and discarded them as nothing. He was here by express order of Her Holiness, Lady Une. The highest female cleric of Ooragard, god of trickery and deceit, she was also chief spymaster for the renowned Treize Khush'Ranada though this was not common knowledge. It _was_ rumored however that they had chanced to warm each other's bed on occasion. 

The former thief shifted his weight on his feet, blending in with half a dozen other loiterers who stood in the entrance to the market section. Recruited personally by the Lady after his news of the spies within the city, he was now under her orders to observe for any foreigners that might have designs other than trade in mind.

--_Flashback--_

"_His Excellency must be protected from any plots that may arise from foreign sources as well as any internal coups that could develop by any of the other noble families." The Lady turned to regard him from under the hooded cloak that concealed most of her features. "Most of the nobles are either too cowed or lackadaisical to attempt such a thing however."_

_Q'ivel had lowered his eyes to the floor to avoid the gaze of the cleric. Surely she hadn't forgotten the failure of his information to lead to an arrest? His haste to warn of traitors and spies had not been enough to prevent them from escaping. His mouth opened of its own accord. "But the spies..."_

"_Are worth nothing." A brief gesture with her left hand, a wave of dismissal. "They were very good, it is true, but nothing to be concerned about. They were probably agents of the Elves, and there is nothing that they could or would do here. They were probably only trying to ensure that they hear about any invasions planned for their own cities before we could spring them."_

"_Not that it would help them at all. They have precious little resources to use in a war."_

"_Now then," The hood dipped forward as the lady stood up, "In order to fulfill my mission I would like to see you as a part of my information network here in the city. None other can accurately claim the knowledge that you have of the place, nor the abilities at your disposal. Therefore, I would be willing to grant you a small favor from the god." Her tone of voice left no question as to the choice that would have to be made._

_The man merely nodded and continued his staring contest with the floor tiles. "After all, the god of trickery is always sympathetic to his followers."_

_The next few moments had been pure agony as unfamiliar waves of power radiated from the Lady. A touch of her hand stilled his agonizing form, and then a cooling wave rushed through his body to leave him laying still as death upon the floor._

_When he awoke later he was alone in his room, a sealed letter accompanying him. After reading the contents, it disappeared in a burst of flames._

--_End Flashback_--

He shuddered at the memory. Once again in his life he had been at the mercy of someone or something else. No tricks to hide behind, no doors to close against the fear. That he'd been spared had been a complete miracle. Twice he'd faced what could have been his death, once each from god and man. _"The gift of the gods is oft times cruel."_ His uncle used to tell him that when a summer's drought was followed by furious storms, causing floods all over their tiny village.

The noise from the marketplace had grown as he'd stood there. Likely the crowds had grown as well, each person looking or bartering for some _thing_ that would fill a need in their lives. Humanity was like that. Q'ivel closed his eyes and relaxed his stance slightly. _'Go from one need or desire to the next_

It was so subtle that he almost missed it.

A single passerby cloaked in foreign garb walking calmly down the street. Aside from his garments nothing stood out in the mind. There were others here with dark hair and lightly tanned features. No, it was the fact that something about him whispered, _"Forget me. I am the earth, I am the grass underfoot, and the rocks you trod upon."_

Had Q'ivel had any training in the theory of magic he would have realized that the person that he was trailing was using a weave of earth magic to conceal his presence. But the thief disliked anything that required deep study; therefore he didn't have this knowledge. It was the magic alone that caught his eye.

Nonetheless this _did_ rate as suspicious activity in his mind, so he began to trail the stranger through the crowd. A few stops later he found himself outside of the _Rising Star_, one of the local inns. Carefully he slipped inside, bent on finding out what was happening.

The slight delay that he allowed before he entered allowed his quarry to begin negotiations for a room. Q'ivel absently noted the flash of gold coin as the innkeeper tallied up the sum and the stranger moved toward the stairs leading to the upper level. An uneasy feeling began to well up in the thief turned spy as he watched the man move out of his line of sight. Had he been noticed?

ooo

Heero narrowed his eyes as he approached the doorway to his room. Whoever was following him had been good, very good. Closing the door behind him cut off all observation for the moment, and he dropped the minor spell that he'd been holding. _Memory of Earth_ confused the senses, causing them only to register the land itself when they interacted with the recipient of the spell. Detecting the use of the spell was hard enough, because of the subtlety of the magic.

But not only had he been detected, but followed all the way to the inn where he had hoped to take up his lodgings. Something had to be done and quickly, though not without some judicious thought on the matter. First off though he'd change into the garb that he'd bought in the market.

Throwing off the cape that had served him well during the chill of winter, Heero proceeded to remove the rest of clothing that marked him as an outsider. Rough garments took their place, clothing such as might be worn by any commoner in the street. A shirt woven of flax, breeches of dark wool, and a wide leather belt to hold the daggers that he would carry. His original garments he lay carefully inside of the crudely crafted locker that stood at the foot of the bed.

Stooping for a moment the Shadow Lord proceeded to weave bands of earth to seal shut the locker. No thief would be able to paw through the contents now, including the bag of gold left in the bottom underneath the clothing. Satisfied, he stepped back and left the room through the window.

The alley below was currently unoccupied. Just to be safe however, Heero dropped a silver piece onto the cobblestones below before jumping down after it. As he put it back into the purse tucked inside his shirt, he glanced around surreptitiously. Still no one in sight.

Shrugging, the young man made his way back into the street and then entered the inn a second time. Keeping to the shadows he made his way over to an empty table and seated himself, using the time until a maid came to serve him to observe each person in the common room. Most of those present for the high noon meal were travelers with one of the many merchant trains. Only a few seemed to have been likely to be born citizens, and Heero's eye fell on each one in turn.

The first two were common laborers, sweat still visible on the cotton material of their shirts. Haulers and lifters, they were no stranger to physical labor and seemed to be taken with their meal. No talk was wasted between them, and they seemed to ignore the world around them. No troubles there.

Next in the circuit of local faces was the merchant who sat discussing business with some of the travelers. Sweat gleamed on a pudgy face, and arms flapped expansively to help him make a point. Not that it seemed to do any good with his companions at the table; they merely watched impassively until the youngest of their number leaned forward in an earnest reply. The stout one seemed to consider for a moment before returning to his arm waving theatrics. All well and good then.

His gaze shifted again, caught by movement by the counter. A well built man with dark red hair moved away from the innkeeper towards the stairway. His movements were graceful despite the tension that evidenced itself in the set of his shoulders and the twitch of his mouth. Heero almost smiled to himself. This then was his follower, a man well accustomed to the streets and human nature. A hunter by nature and not some weak prey attempting to play games then. This would be for blood.

Settling back in his seat, he eyed the young maiden who came forth from the kitchen area carrying trays of meat, bread, and ale. Setting these before the table of merchants, she came straightway back to his corner. "What be your appetite today sir? Fowl or venison, ale or tea?"

"I'll have that which flies not and the drink that will not weep." (1)

The maid nodded and left.

This left the Shadow Lord alone to ponder. Leaning back in his chair and assuming a position fit for a man who had just finished a full day's labor, he half closed his eyes as he reviewed what he knew.

'_First the mountains lost their eyes, something not heard of in millennia. The elders are worried, so they send us out to see for them. Most of the lands that I traveled through to reach this place worry about restlessness and war. Some are mobilizing their own forces in preparation. For all travelers without a sense of the earth it would be harder to cross borders.'_

'_Then there is a spy network in place here even before I arrived, at least one of whom has magical detection along with other abilities that blend well in the line of seeing that which should remain hidden. Well, perhaps the hunter shall learn a few things by being hunted.'_

His meal was served to him by the same girl who had taken his request. He was finished before the bewildered spy came quietly down the stairs and hastened out into the street. Standing up from his table, Heero left a suitable wage for the food and a hefty tip for the girl. It wouldn't do to turn aside any possible avenues of information at this point in the game.

ooo

Q'ivel wended his way towards the temple of Ooragard intent on reporting the arrival of the stranger. Perhaps the magic that he wielded protected him from being identified today, but the gold that he carried to pay his way was not the coin of the realm. The lenders in Merchants' Row could identify it for him.

His mark had apparently caught sight of him while in the marketplace and led him into a hotel so as to vanish completely. The room had been empty and the window open when he had taken a quick check of the place. No spells were actively in evidence that he could _see_, though his sight would not tell him if any but an active spell were present. Oblivious to his pursuer, he entered a moneylender's stall.

Minutes passed before his acquaintance in the business was able to speak privately. It only took a few moments for him to identify the coin as being in common use in the lands to the north. "It's the stuff of traders in that area, common enough when we have to exchange it with a caravan of fur merchants."

Q'ivel traded his informant with a gold coin and took his leave. _'So a traveler from the northlands. One not familiar with the common currency, using magic to cloak himself. Or was it a woman?'_ He frowned at that. That it could be a woman was certainly not outside of the realm of possibility. The companion that he betrayed to the Lady had been a woman, and a powerful one at that. Shuddering slightly as he recalled the night he had spent pinned to a wall by his hand, her eyes watching him. _'It will be just as well if our paths never cross again.'_

Come to think of it, the Lady herself was a powerful cleric and chief spymaster for the Lord Khush'Ranada. So thinking, Q'ivel entered the temple of Ooragard, god of trickery and deceit.

ooo

Behind him in the street, Heero marked the temple in his mind before turning and losing himself in the crowds.

--End Chapter--

(1) Venison and tea.


	6. Chapter 6: Dark Revelations

Alone in his chambers, the Lord Khush'Ranada reflected on the information that had come to him in the past week. From various sources he had gleaned that Abiara was now in a state of full mobilization of their forces. His spies abroad reported that the cities were being maintained with only half the normal compliment of soldiery as the Council of Dukes prepared for battle. The royal family of Abiara had already seen sad decline, and one of Treize's own people was in charge of their battle forces.

The Dukes however had determined to stand against the irritating raids that bandits had been making across the narrow borders that joined the two countries. Their armies were marching to gain the border and in the words of their last missive, "protect the people of our realm from the depredations of lawless mercenaries of Ganwyng."

Their plan was sound, their military strategy flawless, and yet it would avail them nothing in the end. Abiara and the Council of Dukes would fall, not for lack of strength, but for lack of loyalty. They were already betrayed by one in their midst. The Duke of Elleone had already formed a pact with Treize, recently cemented by the secret marriage of Treize to his daughter Leia. Treachery would take the army from the rear when the high commanders fell, sowing confusion and death among the ranks.

His assassin was already in place. No one could withstand the Masked Knight.

Standing now next to the window, the Lord looked out upon his gardens. The roses climbed up the wall, filling the room with their fragrance. His thoughts turned to the elves, keepers of the forest. _'They would love this place with its connection to nature. And yet they will betray their only hope of deliverance and fade away from the land.'_

He reached forth a gloved hand and plucked one of the blossoms that grew nearby. _'Their blood shall be their undoing.'_ The hand brought the flower nearer to his face where he examined it minutely, taking note of the stem and its miniature thorns. No rose in his gardens was without them. "Beauty is never without danger. But for him who knows where the danger lies, the beauty is greater for the knowing."

Moving to the center of his chamber where a carved pedestal stood, he uncovered the shallow bowl that sat upon it. Gazing into the water that filled the bowl he muttered the arcane sentences that activated the scrying spell. Darkness rushed through the room, blotting out the daylight that fell from the window and the candles that remained lit on the walls. The only luminance remaining came from inside the water itself.

Inside of the enspelled waters, two figures could be seen as though they were a great ways off from the viewer. "Yes _Master of Light_, continue to walk your path. You will not serve to stop me and nothing will save _you_ when you need it most. You walk a light unbound, _shadowless_. The blood will destroy you when it calls for its own. In turn your kindred will fall."

His voice darkened, till it seemed that another spoke through him. "Heir of a prophecy, death and shadows will be your bane. Blood will fall until the end of the world, striving for peace that shall not come. The blind will grasp for truth and eat lies because they cannot see the darkness that overtakes them. Confusion and strife to all the peoples until they acknowledge me as the sovereign of all."

The rose fell from Treize's hand into the water and vanished.

At the same instant as if on some unseen signal the darkness withdrew and the waters returned to normal. Treize rested his hands on the pedestal and smiled. It was time to further ensnare the elves.

* * *

The air on top of the mountain was crisp and clean. 

In his own way, the swordsman salutes the day. His blade flows through the forms as he dances from one opponent to the next. Graceful is his carriage, sure his strikes. When he stops, sweat shines upon his bronzed skin.

Wufei prepared to run through his last exercise of the morning when he saw _her_ again. Hair the hue of the raven's wing blew in gentle breeze that sprung up on her appearance. Her almond shaped eyes gazed upon him questioningly. _"Say now Son of the Dragon, have you found that which you seek?"_

Humbly the one addressed bowed his head. "Nay, I have not. There is no sword here, no matter how hard I search for it."

A look of disappointment crossed the messenger's face. Wufei turned his gaze upon her and worry lay heavy upon him. "I have searched long, and longer waited. No weapon has ever been forged here, for it was forbidden by the gods."

How does one sound reproachful when they can only sing? Nonetheless the being managed it, though she looked with some compassion upon the warrior who knelt before her. _"No blade e'er forged? Can it be that your eyes are blind to _**Justice**?_ Open then your eyes and behold it as it was created!"_

As if moved by her declaration, the scene before him changed in an instant.

Eyes wide, Son of the Dragon watched the air before him warp and rise like steam from a cauldron. In the very center of The Cathedral appeared a raised dais. On the dais stood a pedestal upon which rested the hilt of a sword, the blade residing inside of the pedestal itself. Wonderingly he stepped forward, fearful of disturbing the magic that revealed all this to his eyes.

Upon the cross guard was carved a pair of scales, the eternal symbol of justice. Balanced now, they gave the impression that they might sway to either side if brought into a courtroom. Tremulously a hand reached forward to grasp the hilt, drawing forth the blade with resounding ring. The blade itself shone silver in the shimmering heat of the sun that streamed into the temple. With his senses attuned to the magic, Wufei could feel the link to creation singing through the blade.

_'Right is right and wrong is wrong!'_

_'He who wields us walks the line, for edge of Justice ever fine_

_Will never yield the scales lie, and he who wields us never dies.'_

The voices that rang in his mind carried the warning of the sword, and yet again its promise. The cause of Justice was the cause of a lifetime, one that no one but the gods had the right to dispense. Yet the responsibility had been laid at his door. There was no hesitation. Lifting up the blade in the middle of the temple, he cried aloud.

_"Here I am, Son of the Dragon! In the presence of the gods and Ancient ones I take this vow; Ever Justice shall be my watchword. Never shall it die!"_

And thus it came to be that Wufei Dragonson became Judgment, Wielder of the Blade of Justice.

_"Then behold the Judgment, he who wields the sword!"_ The messenger's voice rang out clear as the tones of a bell. _"He shall stand between and divide good and evil, life and death. Chaos shall find that even cloaks of thorns or shadows cannot hide forever from the blade that the gods made! The Son of the Dragon has come!"_

With this final pronunciation, she vanished into the sunlight, leaving the warrior alone. With but a moments hesitation, Wufei placed the sword in his sheath before gathering the meager items that formed his supplies. By the end of the day, no evidence of his presence remained in the temple. Only the setting sun fell onto the pale stonework, turning it blood red.

* * *

Spellbound, she stood at the edge of the forest. The tower was _ancient_, woven of stone and magic long before Ganwyng had ever graced the tongue of men or the pages of history. Never before in the memory of men or elves had the tower ever _glowed_. 

Beyond that, the smoldering ruins that had once been the barracks building spoke of the storm that had just burst over this secluded hamlet. Hilde shuddered as the thought came to her. Whatever it was had been awfully powerful to do this. In fact, if it was still around here she _might_ be in very big trouble.

A quick scan of the area didn't reveal anything extraordinary, so she withdrew further into the shadow of the trees. Safely hidden she watched a few of the villagers start to come out of their huts. Village life would proceed as normal, barring the return of the garrison. A soft laugh from behind her caused the girl to spin around with all haste. Fire wreathed her hand, ready to take on whatever evil had spawned here.

"I had not expected to find one so fair at such great distance from home." The stranger's posture was easy as he leaned against the trunk of a tree. "Of course, in my line of work it's not often that I get to view faces by daylight."

"Who are you?"

Even as the whisper passed her lips, Hilde stared at the boy. His ears were elflike in their appearance, while his hair was restrained in a braid that reached to his waist. Violet eyes sparkled as they studied her in return, and his mouth curved up in a sly grin. _'All in all,'_ Hilde concluded, _'he's gorgeous!'_

"Most folks," he drawled out, "call me the Shadow of Death. But since you're so cute, you can call me Duo."

"My name is Hilde." The girl colored brightly as she spoke, suddenly realizing that she was _speaking_ to this specimen of godhood. "I live around here."

Duo seemed to consider that for a moment. "Hilde is it? A good name, short and to the point. So what are you doing so far from the shadows? I didn't think that there were any of _us_ wandering around on the world anymore."

It took a moment for the question to register. When she comprehended it, she shot her companion a strange look. "_Shadows?_ Away? I live _here_. Why would I want to live in some shadow? How would that even be possible?" Hilde bit her lip and asked one last question. "And what do you mean 'one of us', what are 'we'?"

Duo's face took on a look of comic shock. "You don't know lass? How could you not know one of your own people, who are called by others the Shadow Elves. The features tell the tale to us, and the magic in our blood. You've called fire before, and when you felt threatened you withdrew into the shadow of the forest. True signs all. You're a shade just like me."

Hilde blanched. "Does that mean that we're evil?"

"Evil?! _Never!_" Duo scoffed at her fears. "If you want evil you look to the gods like Mahlah or Ikkesh. Even the humans, who profess to be good; you can find the darkest hearts among their kind. It was they who spawned the vile beings who drove us out of the world. They and Magor-Missabib, god of terror."

His ears pricked up to the sounds of the villagers coming around, venturing to walk nearer to the forest as the daylight grew stronger. Motioning to the girl to follow, he started off deeper into the woods. Hilde stood motionless for a moment before hurriedly gathering her baskets together and following the departing figure. Her mind was full of questions and the handsome shade in front of her was the only hope of getting answers.

* * *

Later that evening as the shadows deepened in the forest, the two wanderers sat in front of their small campfire. After a brief stop at Hilde's lake, Duo had insisted that they keep moving south for the greater portion of the day. He wasn't worried about himself, but it seemed that he had a shade on his hands with too little knowledge and he didn't like the thought of having to stay in an area where she was known. Someone might come looking for her, and it was best to have them think that she had been kidnapped by whatever the monster that set the garrison ablaze. 

Truth be told, he would rather have earthwalked, but he couldn't have carried her with him very far. Shade she may be, but her connection with the earth was not high, and he had no other bond to use to keep the way open for her. _'Still the risks were worth it.'_

He watched her singing softly to herself on the other side of the fire as she prepared the quail that she'd snared for her supper. Slender fingers that had plucked the bird with surprising speed now turned the spit to ensure that the meat was not too well done on any side. The fire played shadows across her face while she absently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. She was, he decided, extremely beautiful.

Of course it had been a long time since he'd seen kin and a woman.

Perhaps it was a sign that he should consider keeping company more often now. _'Much more often.'_

His sigh of contentment caused Hilde to glance up at him. "What? Have I got something on my face?"

Laughter. He'd made her laugh. Good. Duo allowed himself to grin, cocking his head to look sideways at his companion. "So what was it then? If not something smeared across my fair features, what pray tell?"

She laughed again and raised one hand to wipe away the tears from her eyes. Slowly she shook her head shook a finger at him. "No distractions or I'll burn the food." Never did she cease turning the spit, despite the minor distraction of humor.

"I do want to know..." Sudden hesitation crept into her voice, and she ducked her head to gaze upon the spitted bird. "About what you told me before, the evil, I mean. And about our people."

_"I want to know."_

"Very well." Duo's tone of voice became very serious and the sparkle in his eyes darkened. He sat up straight, the proper posture of a storyteller with his arms folded in front of him. "You shall now hear the shortened history of our people, and how they were driven to their present sanctuary to ever more be only a legend and tales of the bedside for children."

* * *

_AN: Well, here's more Duo for you that wanted it. He gets to give a little speech next chapter, so stay tuned to see Hilde find out about her ancestry. Or something like that. He very nearly got himself cut entirely to the next chapter just because he was talking so much..._

_Just a warning, Treize is going to be **EVIL** in this work of fiction. Zechs may surprise some people, not many but a few. Things are actually starting to shape up, so I should be able to update with the next chapter soon. _

Thanks to **all** who review this work!


	7. Chapter 7: History of Ancient Times

"_In the creation of the world, the gods took up the elements of fire, darkness, earth, wind, water, and light and from them created two peoples. One was of shadow and the other of light. Through both they sang the song of the morning and of the evening. This is how the immortal elves were born."_

"_Other races were created, but after the gods finished with the world, they turned to find what pleased them to call their own. Thus it was that the gods were divided, betwixt evil and good. Only the High One refused to be so petty, warning the others that what they desired would one day bring their ruin if they destroyed the world."_

"_Unaware of the disputes of the gods, the nations of the elves grew and prospered. The elves lived in the hill forests, while the shades took to the mountain forests. Because of our affinity for fire, we rivaled the dwarves in the forges. It was a friendly rivalry, made bitter in the end because of the very gods that we ignored. Needless to say, the dwarves dwindled away afterwards, disappearing into the very earth. We were indisputably the greatest creators, our cities were vast, their stonework impressive. Our weapons were art, able to cut through all but our armor."_

"_And then Magor-Missabib came to us demanding to be our patron."_

"_The people laughed at him, scorned him. 'Why do we need a patron? We do just fine on our own.'"_

"_He was angry, and the terror of his presence quieted the masses that saw him. 'Then I shall bring against you my own shadows and terrorize you with my darkness. You will be hunted down to the last drop of blood, prey to your fear.' He vanished, leaving only his dark words hanging in the air."_

"_Many laughed at the threat, confident in our abilities. The leaders thought that contingency might be wise, so they called together the greatest mages to craft a spell to save a nation. This spell they called 'Sanctuary'."_

"_A hundred years passed quietly, all things going to our benefit. But an uneasy darkness began to grow on our minds, the dire words spoken by an angry god."_

"_And then_ _**they**_ _came."_

"_It was only a few at first. They raided the few secluded hamlets, a few villages. Everywhere they touched was left in bloody devastation. No one survived to tell of the inhuman creatures of darkness, but the people knew. The God of Terror had kept his word."_

"_Spies were sent, seeking news of dark killers. Some fell, never to be heard from. Others returned empty. It was a dragon rider of our light brethren that brought us the first news. Humans, jealous of our seemingly limitless life had sworn themselves to the god. He had turned them into heartless monstrosities, designed only to seek our destruction. Bereft of all human sensibility, left only with base instinct to run upon, they feasted themselves upon the blood of our people. They are the forgotten avatars of a forgotten god."_

"_When the royal city fell under assault suddenly, we looked at fear for the first time in the history of our nation. Perhaps we could be destroyed. All that we tried to accomplish in battling the monsters was of no use. Fire stopped them, but only if they were immolated. Nothing could be left."_

"_A single earthwalker fled the battle to rally help from our brethren. An army of elves marched at once to our aid and was ambushed in the dark forest by the vampeyrs, as the humans called them. With them were the Bolgs, swamp creatures. The slaughter was terrible but they fought their way clear, finding in the process the key to destroying our formidable foe."_

"_It was light. A vampeyr is composed completely of darkness. If a strong light is cast, it will fade into a ghost that is harmless to anything. They sent their dragon riders ahead to tell us of the news. Alas, it was already too late. With slaughter in the city, the royal family decided to cast the ultimate spell. It is said that Sanctuary could be felt by the elves as it tore their brethren of the shadows away from them forever. Immediately the cities vanished and everything connected to the shades. Nothing was left save the memory of our brethren."_

"_Enraged by their failure, the elven army took up pursuit and finally cornered the army that had brought about the destruction. A human mage composed a spell to seal away the evil forever. Its casting took the lives of seventy mages, including five young dragons who volunteered for the purpose. Vampeyrs vanished from the world, sealed away under the earth in constant light."_

Duo paused in his telling as Hilde silently handed him a portion of the quail. In between bites he concluded his narration.

"_The elven army died. Killing in rage is the death of an elf. This is because we are bound to life."_

"_It was several hundred years after this that we finally discovered the true fate that had befallen us. We were dying from our fear. Nothing was actually killing us, but as shades tired of life and chose to fade on, the population was declining. Few births occurred, for what was there to give to one's family? We had been separated from our brethren, and without their light, our shadow wavered."_

"And that is why I'm here now. I seek a way to restore our people back to the world where they belong."

Hilde sat very still as the tale ended, a half eaten wing poised in her grasp. Her eyes were wide as a thought occurred to her. "If we bring our people back, will the monsters return as well?"

The shade across the fire shook his head solemnly. "No one knows."

* * *

As she hastened through the halls to her quarters, the ambassador mused over the strange request from the lord of the land. He had been most explicit at _requiring_ the presence of the elven court's highest figurehead at a banquet that he was preparing in a week's time. _"The princess must be here as a voice of reason to offset the bickering of us humans. Her very presence will assure calm and reasonable debate between the lords, instead of the brawling associated with the common soldiery."_

The whole manner of the man reeked of something evil, just what she could not pin down. Perhaps it would be best never to forward this to her rulers, but protocol demanded that she do so immediately. Let them handle the problems as they arose, just send on through the information.

Sali ran a hand through her dark blonde locks as she activated the crystal that linked her to the elven court. In the privacy of her chambers, she could see the princess sitting quiet and composed at the head of the table. Altisen Woodcloak stood nearby, handling the crystal at the other end no doubt. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her nerves and spoke succinctly to her monarch.

"Greetings highness, members of the court."

After a pause for them to acknowledge, Sali continued her speech. "His Excellency, the Lord Khush'Ranada has requested the presence of her Highness, the Princess Relena at a banquet that he prepares within a week. He prays that she consider this in an effort to keep the current conflict betwixt Ganwyng and Abiara from spilling across the border into the elven lands. It is his desire that she mediate at said banquet between the lords of the two countries, that no blood be shed by haste and hot tempers."

Her request was met by silence as the members of the court debated the pro's and con's of the offer laid before them. The ambassador was patient, she had after all just finished all that she was required to do in the game of land law.

Her attention was drawn back to the crystal a moment later by the voice of her sovereign. _"I will go."_

The princess stood and focused her gaze on the crystal that would transfer her face to the ambassador. "Sali please let the Lord Khush'Ranada know that I accept the offer that he has so graciously made. Within the week I shall arrive with my advisors to his citadel. Perhaps he is sincere and peace can yet be attained." Her voice softened as she finished, and the crystal went dark. Replacing it in her bag, the elven ambassador made her way back to the royal palace.

"_May the light find you a way princess."_

* * *

True to her word, Relena found herself ensconced in Treize's palace by the middle of the week. Few of her advisors had agreed with her taking this trip, but she was determined to face her brother at least once alone if it could be managed. If this truly was a parley he would be here. 

Her party was small, as befitted her role as mediator. Altisen Woodcloak had insisted on accompanying her, along with two of his more capable assassins. Pagan was present on standing protocol as her advisor, as well as the elven ambassadors to both countries. Relena's personal shadow was on duty as well, though she never appeared in the official tallies of the party.

Usually the elves secluded themselves in the ambassador's quarters, speaking in low tones to avoid being overheard by the palace staff. Now however, the princess had decided to mingle with the crowds of humans who came everyday to the marketplaces. News could be found in better places than the palace courtyards.

As she moved through the throng of bustling life, the princess held to the security of the solid forms of Elna and Sali beside her. Pagan held pace just behind her, his fatherly presence reassuring. Cloaked as they all were in dull colored robes, the party did not stand out as much as might have been prudent. Standing out was the last thing on their minds, they wanted to hear what the word among the commoners was.

The inn that they chose to visit was located in what Altisen had designated as one of the 'safer' zones within the marketplace. Elna lead the way into the common room of the _Mourning Dove_ catching the eyes of one of the maids for just a moment as she did so. What signal passed between them was unclear, but the bodyguard appeared satisfied as she wended her way through the crowd to a corner table. When they were seated, the same maid came and took their order.

As they ate, Relena paid close attention to the conversations around her. Most were of city business only, talk of the local merchants as to what was the best selling item to the general public. Some however were the hushed gossip of the maids as they passed by their customers, rumors that flew varied and deep as to the state of the country at large. _"His Excellency confides in dark mages...", "The dukes are only bluffing about war...", "The city forces have drawn up a tight net around the city walls. There is to be a grand to do at the palace with the dukes of Abiara in attendance.", "The war is only a game on a grand scale..."_

Her senses so focused on her task, Relena found herself startled when Sali touched her arm. _"My lady, it is time."_

Bowing her head in reply, the princess rose with the others of her party. Elna had already produced the coin to pay for the service and pressed it into the maid's hand as she passed them. They made their way unobtrusively out of the inn and prepared to return to the palace. Elna stiffened as they entered the street.

"We are being followed."

Taking a twisting, turning route, the elves soon found themselves in a secluded alleyway. The bodyguard was highly alert now, scanning the area for whomever it was that seemed to be herding them. Cloaked figures stepped out of various side streets and doorways.

"_Left, on top of the building. Sniper?"_ Elna faced the greater number of assailants, her sword in hand now. Sali turned her focus to the area indicated, looking straight into the eyes of the young man standing in the shadows. After a moment she shook her head. _"No, he is not with them."_

The bodyguard nodded tersely, still intent upon the assailants ahead of her. _"Something isn't right here, my lady!"_

Relena nodded, aware that her guide wouldn't see it, and cast about to see what the odd feeling reminded her of. Pagan leaned in toward her, his old eyes sparkling. "T'is the work of a mage. He's using a spell to scry us."

The wizard paused for effect before adding quietly, "He's trying to be subtle about it, but is having problems controlling his power."

Sali moved past the mage to stand as the rear guard. There were fewer men following from the way that they'd come. Dropping her cloak, the ambassador took up her sword as calmly as she ever did diplomatic documents or magic. Her tunic and leggings allowed her more freedom of movement than the robes she usually wore when she traveled the streets, something that she'd had cause to be grateful for more than once since arriving in the capital.

Now it seemed that she'd get the chance again, only on a larger scale.

* * *

_AN: Shades are what the Shadow Elves call themselves. The italics in the beginning is Duo's Naration. When he gets to speaking normally, italics disappear. Well, sort of. Italics afterwards usually denote someone whispering or hushed conversations._

_My appologies to all my reviewers; I've really tried hard to make it so that the storyline isn't confusing. I just can't seem to get it right though. Again, my appologies._

**Karina, Lockea Stone, and koriaena** - thanks for reviewing.


	8. Chapter 8: Earth and Wind

It began with the clash of metal on metal behind her as Elna engaged the first of the cloaked figures to move forward. Sali refused to turn around, still calmly facing the ones who advanced towards her. Her blade moved slowly back and forth, setting forth the boundaries beyond which they would not pass.

The first man to rush forward caught her blade to his arm and retired swiftly. His companions rushed in, and in an instant Sali found herself in a whirlwind of blades, hard pressed to defend her own life, let alone that of her party members. From the sounds of things, Elna found herself similarly pressed.

Hasty words of command were uttered in Pagan's voice, and then the sound of other voices shrieking in agony. The magical distraction was sufficient to relieve some of the pressure, but the fighters got back up again, determined to reach the one person that the others sought to shield.

A new sound entered the fray; Boots colliding with the stones of the street. Someone else had just joined the fracas.

Swift sure strokes of the sword sounded forth, followed by bodies falling on the cobblestones. The remnants of the attackers fled the area, fewer by far than the score or more who had engaged in silent battle. As they left, Elna struggled to move from where she had fallen. "My Lady! Are you all right?"

Relena nodded, her gaze falling swiftly over the area. Sali knelt where she had defended herself, blood on her side. Pagan was staring up at the building where the stranger still watched, muttering to himself. The princess moved towards the stranger somewhat warily. His dark eyes met and held her gaze.

"Greetings, daughter of the elves."

His sword was sheathed now, his stance very easy. With the flowing grace that he had displayed in battle, the princess did not doubt that even now he was very dangerous. Gratitude was called for however, and she would not let fear of the unknown stop her from offering her thanks.

"You have my thanks, sir. Not only for my life, but for the lives of my companions as well. Is there any way that we might repay you?"

The swordsman laughed lightly, his dark eyes twinkling merrily. "I did not heed the cries for justice on the wind in order to indebt any to myself. _Justice_ brings its own rewards to both good and evil."

Turning swiftly on his heel, he walked down the alley and out of sight. The sound of boots hitting the street once again interrupted what questions came to mind in those present. A dark haired youth strode noiselessly over to the princess and bowed deeply. His voice was hard as ice as he inquired of her well being. "You are well?"

At her answering nod, he straightened himself and went to assist Sali to her feet. "I am Heero, a huntsman. I am sorry for my delay, but my father was blinded recently and I have had to be his eyes for him. The mountains are distant from the forest and travel is not kind these days, even for those who know the wilds."

His gaze held Relena's as he spoke, and the understanding of the tacit lie passed between them. "I welcome you Heero. I am grateful to your father for sparing you to me."

Settling the ambassador on the ground by the princess, Heero knelt to examine her wounds. "Not as great as I feared. Hold just one moment. I shall heal you, though it is likely not the gentle healing that you are used to."

So saying, Sali was indeed shocked as the ice cold chill passed through her side. The flesh there knit itself together, closing the wound. As she blinked her eyes to clear them of the tears, the youth stood and walked over to where Elna lay on the pavement. She was hurt much more grievously, the multitude of her opponents having accomplished that despite her skill. A fire still burned in her eyes however, unwilling to let go of life while her princess still needed her.

Sali staggered to her feet and hastened over after she recovered her wits. Gently pushing the youth aside, she knelt and placed her hands upon her companion. "Allow me. I am a healer."

He acquiesced without any commotion. Hard eyes watched as she laid her hands over the most serious wounds and gauged the effectiveness of the recovery. The pale light that moved under her palms seeped into Elna's body, leaving only healing in its wake. Finally Sali sat back and allowed the bodyguard to sit up. Elna did so slowly, nodding gratefully to the ambassador as she moved to regain her feet. "Many thanks, sister."

The sound of wood on stone sounded from behind them as Pagan moved forward, leaning on his staff. "May I suggest returning to the safety of the Ambassador's abode? It is likely that we shall have many things to converse on, and may wish to do so only in the privacy of such a setting."

The princess sat stiffly in her chair as Pagan spoke forth an incantation designed to keep away all prowlers. The intonations of his aged voice followed the rhyme and rhythm of the spell flawlessly. As he came to the end the old man nodded to Relena, who promptly sighed and dropped her pose.

"Of all the nuisances! To be spied upon in the streets." The young elf shook her head. Heero smirked from his seat opposite her.

"One might expect that the streets would be open to observation from all. Why would you find it so strange that a mage would take up gazing at the beauty of the elves?"

Her eyes flashed and he caught what she thought about such intrusions, complimentary or not. The hunter grinned suddenly and turned to the old man. "Does she really have need of protection? I think that perhaps she could fight her own way, were it needed."

Pagan's eyes twinkled, though the old mage let no more sign than that forth. "Indeed she could, though I would hate to be so easily laid aside to watch. I would be old and dead within a tenday."

"Hnn…"

Relena flushed slightly as the two men bantered above her. "If we could…?"

"Of course milady." Pagan's bow was deeply sketched, and he seated himself beside her chair. He watched in admiration as she adroitly steered the conversation back to what she had desire to know.

"Again, I salute you and yours. May the light watch over you."

Heero nodded at the traditional elven greeting for guests and waited for the accompanying remarks.

"I find it strange, though not unpleasant that you should come to our aid at such a time. Who are you exactly and what is your desire?"

Heero's face remained grim and cold as she finished. "I am as I said, a huntsman. Many in my clan refer to me as one who hunts upon the shadows, lord of beasts, but I am content with a simple title. Again, my father was blinded recently, and I am come to be his eyes. I only wish to continue with you as a member of your retinue that I might better serve him."

"It would give me a recognized and legal status here that none would dare to question. Instead of being merely a stranger from the north, I would be a servant of visiting nobility. This would grant access to portions of the palace that would otherwise subject my person to unnecessary risk to enter. Of course, in this I would be your most faithful defender. Even should you decide not to accede to my request, my father has made it quite clear that he wishes this to be so. I will therefore render you aid in whatever capacity you would have it."

Stiffly he stood, his senses suddenly on full alert. His gaze traveled to each corner of the room, finding nothing he proceeded to stalk around the area. The princess and the old man regarded him with curious gazes, though the mage winked at him when he passed.

Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, but his senses were screaming at him. Again he gazed around the room, this time his focus shifting to a shadow that seemed slightly out of place. In a flash he threw himself towards it just in time to meet the sword of the woman who rose out of the shadows. He blocked her thrust with a dagger, then dropped back a step to better defend himself.

The woman merely nodded towards him and sheathed her sword. Her black tresses swayed as she passed by him. "He'll do."

_A test then_. When he returned to his seat, a quick glance netted him an approving smile from the old man. The princess seemed be holding counsel within herself and he resigned himself to waiting. Not for long though, as she seemed to come to some resolution on the matter of the problem confronting her.

"Very well. Welcome Heero, huntsman of the royal court and Lord of Shadows."

"Milady." Heero went to one knee in a low bow.

"Rise Heero, huntsman. And here in my chambers all may call me Relena, noble though I am through birth." She smiled at him, and in that instant he understood the message of the elder…

"_Daughter of the Elves is a link to life; she must be protected, lest the sacrifices of the dead be in vain. The light of her people, she will see the resurrection of the past. Be a shield therefore, a Mountain unto the Wind."_

…For he could see her hair moving lightly in breeze that didn't exist.

* * *

He walked through the encampment, seeing to the vigilance of his command. In another day or so they would be crossing the border into Ganwyng, and he would brook no turning aside of the discipline that had made his command the most decorated unit of the royal army. Granted, they would soon be using their skills for another lord soon enough, and had be been entire Zechs would have loathed the scene before him with a passion. As it was, he mentally thought to himself that he disliked the plan immensely.

'_Better just to come out and declare your allegiance than to skulk in the shadows and strike like an assassin. An army is not like a man.'_ Though in this case it might as well be. The dukes were determined to play their own games, games that the royal family was too weak to take any part in.

Everything seemed to be in order. Sentries stood at their posts, attention focused outward where an enemy was likely to approach. Soldiers remained in their bivouacs, campfires lit and cooking their supper. Zechs headed back for his quarters, certain that something in the next week was going to go immensely wrong…

* * *

The evening saw the weary faces of the two absent members of the fellowship. The last remaining wisps of the magic borne by the ritual deposited them in the clearing from which they had departed. Rastis was there to greet them, tongue lolling out as he dashed up to greet his 'friends'. Trowa laughed and ruffled the wolf's ears.

_Hmph_! The wolf let his contempt be known. _You only do that to get out of the lecture that you know that I'm going to be giving you tonight_.

_Indeed_. The silent one merely shook his head at the animal. He paused as Trevor popped out of the hut to greet the returning brethren. _Whatever you say..._

He turned his attention to the recounting of the day by Quatre as they descended into the depths of the house. A cold supper lay upon the low table in the middle of the room, whereat the weary quartet sat down and proceeded to take sustenance.

During the meal, Trowa reached into his robes and pulled out a slightly withered rose. Setting it down on the table, he looked around the circle. "This appeared in the middle of the ceremony."

Rastis came away from the bone that he was gnawing on to sniff at the bit of vegetation. In a flash he drew back, growling. _It is **evil**, brother. Where did you get it?_

At the same time, Trevor drew back in amazement. "There is darkness there and blood."

Quatre nodded. "Someone powerful was watching today. What they seek is not clear, but I think that they mean to have us desist in our efforts to follow the traditions of the fellowship."

"At the very least, they want us to know that they are watching."

Trowa nodded and then thrust the flower into the embers of the cooking fire. A quiet gesture caused it to burst into flames and dissipate in ashes. "Be cleansed."

A flash of light hailed his words, drawing upon the latent energy imbued in the grounds for just such a purpose. Consecrated by the fellowship in an age past, when gods had walked the earth – or so it was said. Years had passed by since that time, no matter the rumor of the gods. They walked where they would and when.

The wolf lay down again by the remains of his supper, but did not immediately take up with it again. _Evil. Dangerous it is to us, friend. Strong indeed to drop flowers where the gods hold sway. His howl rings in my ears._

_Waxing poetic?_ Trowa feigned amusement, which sent the wolf into a fit.

_You know better._ Rastis' ears were laying back along his skull. _Must you play the fool with me? I hear the cry of a young hunter, one who says "My strength is greater than yours, come and fight me."_

_Perhaps yes, perhaps no._ Trowa was noncommittal as he returned to eating. _Why worry about a message delivered? That was his only desire for now. He wishes only to draw us out of our necessary seclusion. It may be for breaking the cycles, the days that are required for the ascension. Nonetheless, it will not succeed. We are wary, friend._

The wolf cocked his head to the side, as if to ask 'Are you really?' before he turned back to gnawing on his bone.

Quatre set aside his empty platter, resting his forearms on the empty space on the table. "Only the quest of the sword remains."

Trowa glanced over at him, his gaze unreadable. "If you believe the myth that truth is embodied in a sword."

The blonde elf shook his head slowly. "It is no myth. Long days past the elders saw such a sword being made. Its origins have been lost to us, but that it exists is no myth. Each Master has searched for the sword in his turn, finding nothing in the end. But it still waits for the time that has been appointed to it; the time when _truth_ is needed to shine forth clearly and divide a great darkness."

He smiled at his companions. "Perhaps we shall be the ones to find it. Would not that be extraordinary?"

* * *

_AN: Another month, another chapter. Progress has been slow, but there is progress being made. Hope you all enjoy this.  
Note: I probably won't get anything out for a little while - the next month is extremely busy and I lack the time to do much writing. _


	9. Chapter 9: Breaking Silence

"Find the sword?" Trowa sounded amused at the idea. A half smile graced his lips as he looked over at his friend. "Perhaps we may at that; or some artifact that the legends centered upon."

The third member of the trio was slowly shaking his head as he stood from the table. "May all the gods show mercy if we do – it is a sure sign of a great darkness over the land. Perhaps the gods will return themselves to work good and evil."

Trowa could feel the wolf mumbling something along the lines of _'blast them if that happens'_, but he decided that it wasn't worth it to call the animal on it. Privately he agreed that it would not be in the best interest of the world if that were to happen. The Brotherhood of Light had many legends where the gods had destroyed peace and harmony on a whim. It was not something that they would enjoy experiencing firsthand.

'_No,'_ He decided, standing to join Quatre in the evening cleanup, _'not a pleasant thing to look forward to at all.'_

-

Midii shivered in the night air as Steel Boy plodded onward. Leaving Ab Bortaan had not been done on her own initiative, but she had to admit that her blood rejoiced to spend time again in the fields and forests instead of the crowded lanes of the city. She looked quickly around, trying to determine if there were eyes in the darkness watching her.

The horse continued at a steady pace, the half-elf's slight figure no great burden to the animal. Midii patted him on the neck as she returned to merely listening to the night. So much had changed so rapidly in the last few days. Now she was searching for a mystical master, a relative unknown among the world.

Her search had been swift, for Altisen Woodcloak was not one to wait for information. Not that he would be harsh, but the girl felt the need to constantly prove herself; even when she didn't need to. If someday they dismissed her from service, what would she do?

The question bothered her greatly, hence the fact that she tried to bury it at the back of her mind.

At the beginning, her search had seemed hopeless – no one around the capital had known anything about a 'Master of Light'. She had widened her search northward, sweeping through the villages and wayhouses, searching always for the answer to her questions.

It had been late one evening that she had chanced upon a farmhouse where a woman had provided a small clue.

"_There's a brotherhood hereabouts, calls itself the 'Brotherhood of Light'. Often does good for the folks here, though we stay well clear. Never know much about them, but if one needs help, the brothers will lend a hand. Course, we haven't seen them for a time."_

That had been two days ago.

Now Steel Boy was plodding on a mostly unused trail, a track that led through the trees and twisted and turned quite a bit. Midii found herself ducking constantly to avoid the branches that seemed to appear suddenly ahead of her. Although she knew that the trees were not reaching out to grab her, the childish fantasy seemed much more real at night.

Suddenly the horse stopped and refused to take another step. The spy tried to urge him forward, but the animal stayed stock still. "Come on Steel Boy! What's gotten in to you?"

A hasty glance around the area showed her the reason. A wolf stood not twenty paces ahead, nearly hidden in the darkness. Had she been merely human, she would never have known that the creature was there. Slowly Midii dismounted, holding the reins in one hand while she drew a short sword with the other.

"Hail creature. Why do you bar my passage?"

If a wolf could roll its eyes, Midii would have sworn that the creature just had. It stared hard at her for a moment before turning away into the darkness. The girl sheathed her blade and was about to turn back to her horse when it reappeared ahead of her. Staring for a moment, it resumed its travel into the darkness. This time it stopped and peered over its shoulder at her, as if waiting for some response.

"I suppose you wish me to follow?"

The spy shook her head and led Steel Boy behind her as she started after the wolf. The action seemed to please the animal, for it went along at a steady pace. Midii found herself starting to lag a bit before it stopped at the entrance to a small clearing. Staggering to a halt, the girl found herself facing the doorway of a hut about twenty paces ahead.

The door opened and in the half-light of the dawn, she could see a tall figure striding out of the structure. A voice called out ahead of him, a query it seemed. Perhaps they were asking who the visitor was. For some reason, Midii found herself growing anxious as the man drew nearer.

-

_'Why did you bring her here?'_ Trowa was silent as always, but his thoughts sped like lightning toward the wolf. '_She should not be here. Her very presence is interference of some kind.'_

_'Hmph. As if you would know.'_ Rastis was not buying the line. The wolf cocked his head to the side and seemed to grin at the human. '_Her presence here is necessary. The earth says it is so. Who are you to defy the land? Why would you even bother to protest her? Have you _known_ her?'_

_'More than I would care to admit. She is nothing but a liar.'_ The tone was firm, final.

"Rastis, whom have you brought?"

Quatre's voice sounded from out of the hut, and soon he and Trevor had joined Trowa and the wolf in the clearing. It took a little bit of persuading to retrieve an explanation regarding their visitor.

"She is a half-elf. A _spy_. She should not be here." Trowa was blunt, his dislike shining through his normally calm demeanor. Quatre blinked at the subdued feeling of hatred that emanated from his companion. This was not typical for the young man.

"Whatever she is or was; she is a guest now. We will make her welcome." He searched Trowa's face for some semblance of acceptance or understanding. Finally the silent one nodded, a slight up and down motion of the head. "We will speak of this later, only for now, try to be courteous."

Motioning to the third member of the party, Quatre continued. "See that she and the horse are taken care of."

Trevor nodded and stepped forth, Rastis walking beside him as he approached the young woman. The master of light watched as the two half elves conversed for a moment, and then smiled slightly as the girl led her animal behind the hut. After they picketed the animal, they entered the hut, leaving Quatre alone with a glowering Trowa.

As soon as the door closed, Trowa rounded on his companion. "Why?"

The gaze that met his was earnest, blue eyes holding his own green ones with their intensity. "Because we have never turned anyone away. That is how it must be." Quatre's voice was quiet. "How did she hurt you?"

Trowa shifted uncomfortably. "She… well, I thought she was something other than she was. I found out in the end that she was a spy. That knowledge was costly; my family…" He broke off, his voice suddenly gone.

"I see."

A quiet sigh followed, succeeded by a long moment of silence. After a moment Quatre looked back at his friend. "I think I understand. But do not let it concern you too much, brother." His gaze traveled to the closed doorway. "She has a great many burdens that have driven her here. There is no thought of betrayal in her heart."

"Besides, Rastis would not have brought her if he thought she would be a threat."

Trowa looked grim at that thought. "Perhaps he merely brought her to torment me for bothering him."

_'Foolish human! Have I any need of such low tactics?'_

"Or perhaps not."

'_Indeed,'_ He thought wryly, _'you don't _have_ to stoop to bite at anyone's ankles.'_

The rebuttal was swift. _Cub._

-

The evening brought together the company in a somewhat strained atmosphere. Trowa had resumed his aloof attitude, not speaking unless it was entirely necessary. Midii was silent, contemplating something unknown. Suddenly she sat up and pointed at the silent one.

"You!"

Trowa's eyes narrowed.

"I knew you once, before I was half grown." The half-elf was clearly agitated. "You said that you hated me. That I made you lose your family."

"Which you did. By coming every day into the grove. You betrayed the path to evil men – men _you_ worked for." Acid rained down with the words.

"Yes, of course. I would have _known_ that. I was only a _child_. My family was at stake." Midii's eyes sparked dangerously. "And even though they found the grove, my family was murdered in front of me."

"Ha!" Trowa spat back at her, his composure broken. "Your family! What a lovely tale!"

The spy stiffened, her hands shaking with the effort that it took to keep from physically striking her host. "Yes, if you like it that way. Making people suffer. At least _your_ sister is still alive."

Trowa stopped with his mouth open, the retort on his lips dissipating into nothing as the news reached him. "Cathy lives?"

"She lives."

Midii turned away suddenly and rushed outside. No one missed the presence of the tears streaming down her cheeks. Quatre turned a raised eyebrow in his friend's direction.

Trowa shut his mouth and shook his head. The news had silenced him. There was nothing more to say for the time being. Silently Trevor removed from his spot and slipped outside. Rastis ambled in to take his place beside the fire.

_'Handled that with your usual tact, cub.'_

Trowa tried to glare at the wolf, but couldn't manage it.

_'At least you heard what you needed to hear from her. Though why you let it eat at you so I will never know. Foolish. That is what you humans are.'_ Rastis let his tongue hang out of his mouth for a moment.

_Perhaps._ Trowa shook his head, not looking at either of his companions.

-

Midii threw herself down beside Steel Boy and buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook with silent cries. Her horse stopped in his feeding to reach across and bump her gently with his nose. The girl managed to stop crying long enough to stroke the animal's head. "He hates me. And I lost more than he did."

The noise of rustling grass caused her to turn swiftly and fix the intruder with a glare. The figure stopped and raised his hands, Midii recognized him as the one who had made her welcome in the morning. "Peace, I only come to ensure that you are not harmed by anything in the night."

Midii glanced towards the hut and he hastened to explain. "Yes, even from Trowa. Though you need not fear him; Rastis will calm him down ere the morning." His head dropped and he regarded the play of the moon on the grass. "I fear that this burden has been with him a long time. He will not find it easy to part with."

Flashing eyes met this statement. "Burden? _I_ am the one who carries the burden!"

"Yes, you are." Resignation filled his voice. "May I sit and counsel you? Betwixt the two of you, the very air is filled with bitterness."

She almost said no, but something within her compelled her to accept. "As you wish."

"No," His voice was sad, "Only if you wish it. Otherwise I unacceptably intrude."

Midii contemplated this for a moment, and then gestured to the ground beside her. "Very well. I wish it."

He sat on the grass beside her, but kept space between them. Perhaps unsure of where to start, he kept his silence for several long moments, his gaze cast upon the ground. Behind them, Steel Boy went back to his foraging.

Midii used the pause to study her host. The moonlight in the clearing tinted everything in a pale light, but still brought out the mixed features of his heritage. The slightly pointed ears hinted at his elven parentage, even as his dark hair bespoke the human side. Probably attractive qualities to the right person, she decided.

His voice, a pleasant baritone she noted, broke through her musing. "My lady…"

Midii shook her head and interjected vehemently. "_Don't_ call me lady. I have no title by birth."

Even though she expected him to be startled, she was only mildly surprised when he merely nodded and held up a placating hand. "Forgive me, I meant no offense. However, you were born a woman, and that does give you claim on the title."

The spy could almost feel the sincerity in his voice. She remained silent.

"I am afraid." He spoke hesitantly, as though he feared offending her again. "Afraid that you have had no family, no friends to rely on. You walk alone; very few earn your trust or admiration. You fear rejection because of who you are. That isn't how it should be." He shook his head. "Trowa has Quatre and Rastis for counsel, but you have no one to try and understand your hurt."

Pain blossomed again, welling up from the depths of her being. "No one can understand! I lost my family; they were _murdered_ before my eyes. But they left _me_. The worthless one." Midii shook from the rage and pain, her grief sudden and strong again. With her eyes closed, she failed to see her companion sink downwards, his head in his hands. Only his broken cry brought her back to reality.

"_Light, no! It's too much! So much pain!"_

The last came out as a sob, a sound so foreign to anything that the girl had expected that it shocked her into silence. Fear came suddenly; _had she caused this?_ It took a long moment before he began to breathe more easily. Looking up, he saw her face, deathly pale under the moonlight. "F-forgive me! I meant not to frighten you; it's only the gift that I have been cursed with."

Midii reached out hesitantly, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. "What gift could bring so much pain?" Her horror showed in her eyes.

Trevor's eyes went bleak for a moment, as though recalling something from the distant past, perhaps slightly unpleasant. When he spoke, his voice was so soft that she almost didn't hear what he said. "In the world, there are a few blessed ones, people who can 'hear' the earth, the wind, and the water. Fire speaks to them and darkness. Some know it, others just imagine themselves lucky."

"But there are others who have been gifted. Not to hear the elements as they cry out, but to feel with their heart the hearts of others. In most, the gift is not strong. They are perhaps uneasy in the presence of other people, but they don't have to run away from civilization. For others, it is so strong that they often go insane, or die from the stress."

"I," he paused and drew a deep breath, "am one with weaker talent. If one knows how, he can block off the feelings that exude from others. However, I have been alone in the forest too long with those who shield their emotions, and your pain was so sudden and great that it overwhelmed me. It was probably because of our proximity; I cannot feel at a great range. Not like Quatre can."

"Could he have felt it?" Midii went very still. Her companion shook his head tiredly. "I suppose he could have, but since he's much more sensitive, he has learned to guard himself from such things. Only strong emotions from someone that he is connected to in some way will pierce the barrier in his mind. Like I said," he went on, more softly now, "I wasn't shielded. I've been away from people too long and forgot. I'm sorry for intruding on your pain; but I can honestly say now that I know what it feels like."

A little reassured, Midii stood up and busied herself with Steel Boy's mane. The horse looked at her with one great eye before resuming his grazing. "I think I'd better sleep outside; I don't want to cause any more problems with Trowa."

Her host nodded. "I see." Silently he regained his feet. "My lady…"

Softly she interrupted him. "Don't call me that, please. Call me Miduniel."

"Alright." His reply was equally as soft. "I would be pleased to offer you one of our guest bedrolls. Should you change your mind, there is room by the fire for you. And Miduniel," he hesitated, turning to look back at her, "if you ever feel like talking, I'll be here for you."

She stood with her back towards him, but Midii let herself smile, if only a little bit. "Maybe I'd like that, sometime later."

"I'll be waiting." The door closed quietly behind him, leaving her alone in the night.

-

_AN: Should you all think that Trowa has gone OOC, please remember that he was old enough to form an emotional attachment to his family. Otherwise I would never have written him that way, believe me. As for Midii... Well, I need her in another portion of the plot further on, so the blathering on was necessary. I actually tried to figure out a way around it, but nothing came up. Well, that's an author's luck. Review folks, and I'll work on the next chapter..._


	10. Chapter 10: Shadow's Sorrow

When she awoke the next morning, Midii noticed Trevor sleeping sitting up against the side of the hut. His hair moved gently in the light morning breeze, and his ear twitched ever so slightly. Apparently, he had kept his word and watched over her in the night. She smiled.

-

The castle was abuzz with activity as Relena took her morning walk. The outer gardens provided a more suitable arrangement for the elven princess, tended as they were by humble folk. Trees and flowers grew in abundance, and aside from the walkways themselves, the signature blossom of the lord of the land made no appearance. Each morning of her visit had been the same, though she most often walked with Pagan, the old mage understanding her great love of the beauty found in nature.

Today she was alone, at least, as alone as one can be with a shadowy escort. The princess sighed. He _would_ have to do it by skulking around, instead of by her side as a visible deterrent. Granted, he _had_ put in several appearances during his guard duty, but it made her feel more like a dog on a leash than a person.

She seated herself on one of the stone benches that surrounded an exquisitely carved fountain. Only the continual spray of the water droplets marred the clear surface of the shallow pool. A shadow fell across the water, and Relena looked up into Heero's face. "So, you finally decided to actually step into sight for a few moments. Have you silently dispatched all the assassins that are trying to kill me?"

Heero frowned, sensing that he had hurt the young woman somehow. Unsure of how to correct the unknown mistake, he knelt in front of her and narrowed his eyes. "How else can I fulfill my promise to protect you? What would you have me do?"

The princess sighed. Looking back at the fountain, she attempted to formulate a reply. "I don't mean to imply that you are not doing what you have promised, or that you should stop the way you do things. I merely wish to point out that you make me feel a beast in a cage, not a young woman protected. Not that I don't feel protected…" Her voice trailed off, as she clenched her fists in frustration. "I don't know how to explain myself so that you will understand what I'm saying!"

Heero stepped back away as tears slowly began to trickle down her cheeks. Shadow Lords trained to protect others, to hunt, and to deal with dangerous creatures. They never expected to deal with women's emotions. Heero mind raced as he attempted to calm her down. _'What? She doesn't want me to protect her the way that I'm doing it? No, she wants me to be near her… Oh.' _It clicked.

Relena started as a finger brushed her cheek, clumsily wiping away her tears. The human looked slightly bewildered, a look that faded quickly to his ever-present stoicism. "Do not cry. I will walk with you, if that is what you wish. I had thought that you would desire solitude for your ventures into the realms of nature." He withdrew his hand and stepped back. "Of course, I must have been mistaken."

His eyes watched her closely even as he attempted to appear distant. Relena wondered if he were _really_ as sure of himself as he sounded. Nevertheless, she dried her tears and gave him a wan smile. "Thank you. I would enjoy the pleasure of your company as I admire the simple craft of the gardeners here."

Heero sighed in relief as the elf resumed her pacing, and this time worked to keep himself at her side, despite his inclination to be out and scouting. That would happen in due time, he figured. Especially if this Lord Khush'Ranada was as dark as he seemed.

-

The gates opened with a well-maintained silence, save for the quiet scraping of wood on stone. Several heralds scurried into position, assuming a posture of greeting for the visiting nobles. Their coats were emblazoned with the Crimson Rose and Thorns, the emblem of the Lord Khush'Ranada. Carrying banners and trumpets, they waited for the first of the foreigners to appear.

The first horse to enter the city carried a single knight. He wore an iron mask that concealed most of his features. His overcoat was crimson, his breastplate of polished steel. A single sword hung at his side, the hilt simply adorned. Platinum hair streamed behind him as he cantered down the street. Pulling his mount to a stop, he surveyed the waiting party.

"Who here welcomes us? We have traveled far, with peace our aim."

One of the heralds stepped forward, his pace evenly timed to stop in front of the visitor. "We of the household of Lord Khush'Ranada welcome you to Ab Bortaan. Who seeks to enter our fair realm?"

The rider reined his animal firmly as the horse stamped one foot on the ground. Regally he replied to the question. "The noble lords of Abiara gather here to convince the lord of these lands of the foolishness of his endeavors upon our borders. May our words be resolute and truer than any blade."

A hint of a smile crossed the chief herald's face, and then disappeared. "Bid them enter, and may you find the peace that you seek within our walls."

Without hesitation, the knight wheeled his mount and galloped back to his party. Moments later, he returned, leading the vanguard of a long caravan of mounted riders and carriages. The heralds took up their posts along the column, guiding the visiting nobles straight to the stronghold. The streets that they followed were cleared beforetime by the city guard, backed by the Lord's decree. Few would think to defy the Crimson Rose. Many would fanatically follow what it dictated, especially those of the city guard.

No mishaps occurred anywhere along the path, and the captain of the escort nodded to the chief herald before releasing most of his men to return to their encampment. A token guard was all that Treize had deigned to allow the nobles for the duration of their stay inside of the city, even though he had not argued the considerable force camping outside of the walls. Handing the reins of his beast to a groom, the masked knight watched his charges being ushered to their rooms inside of the palace.

The chief herald approached him, a wicked grin upon his features. "Ah, just like rats into a trap! All the more is the pity that we must allow them to leave." He sighed melodramatically. "The lord wishes to dine with you this evening."

Cold blue eyes regarded him from behind the mask. Despite his best intentions, the herald found himself starting to sweat under that gaze. He was standing in the presence of the man rumored to be the 'Masked Knight', one of the Lord Treize's most efficient killers. He watched as the knight grimaced, then turned gracefully on his heel to enter the palace. "Very well, I will speak with him then. Give him my regards, Fronse."

The herald nodded once, his breathing just a little bit easier now that the man had disappeared around a corner. "I shall."

--

Dekim Barton stood inside a spacious suite of rooms in the palace, his gaze falling coldly upon the young woman who sat engaged in needlework, oblivious to his attention. A harsh grin turned up the corner of his mouth. _'Yes Leia, you shall provide me with the means to rule in Abiara. None shall stand against the tide, but my blade alone shall cause Ganwyng to sue for peace. You are the tie that shall bind empires, the claim of glory which I shall reap when I have them both firmly in my grasp.'_

His attention was drawn to movement in the gardens below. A young woman walking with a single companion met his gaze, stirring his curiosity. He watched them wander among the flowers, stopping rarely, but never hurrying past the natural beauty tended there. It took the visiting lord a moment to realize that the woman was an elf. His eyes narrowed and he turned swiftly, considering this new piece of information. "Trieze, you are one clever bastard. A 'neutral' mediator, one that even I would not know existed in the plans." He laughed to himself, casting a wary glance at his daughter. "A master stroke, I will admit. The others will be quite overcome by her presence."

"But you will have to do better than that when _my_ time comes."

This last was a mere whisper, hardly more than a thought given breath. The Duke turned again to the window, his thoughts set on the future that he envisioned for himself.

-

The evening dinner that the herald had referred to was of a private nature, held in Treize's private garden. The inner sanctum of the lord of the land was wreathed around with roses, though Zechs wondered exactly what the man saw in the flower, to plant so many in such a small space. Nevertheless, he dutifully seated himself at the table in the middle of the garden, ignoring the massive black hound sleeping in the corner. The creature lifted its head to regard the masked intruder before resuming its rest. Zechs noted the unearthly gleam in its eyes as it studied him.

'_So, you are no common hound. Where did he get a fell creature, I wonder?'_

Footsteps upon the grass brought him to his feet, and Zechs watched warily as Treize descended from his chambers. The lord was smiling, though his eyes remained cold. "So he thinks to have it all, does he? Alas for him, that I have already planned the outcome of this war." Turning to the knight, Treize addressed him directly. "Zechs, welcome! It has been far too long since you partook of any repast within my boundaries. Let us talk over dinner. Tell me how things have developed in your absence from the city."

The lord seated himself almost carelessly, gesturing to the knight to do the same. For the second time, Zechs sat down, eyeing the dog again. "Why the creature here, all of the sudden? Will he not disturb the roses?"

Treize closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair as he appeared to contemplate the question. He remained in that pose for several minutes, while Zechs patiently waited for his answer. Finally the lord opened his eyes and glanced over at the beast. "Arwol, disturb the roses? I think not. He knows that I forbid him to do any such thing. He is well trained, don't you think?"

Zechs thought about the way that the creature had studied him earlier. It was well trained, intelligent even. And it most certainly was not from the natural world. It reeked to his senses of darkness and a grim evil. Silently he acknowledged the way the master had played the question. "Indeed he is, my lord."

"And yes, I have another surprise for you." The masked knight stilled at the comment. Treize's comments, while often seeming to come from out of the blue, rarely were as random as they seemed. Whatever was about to be revealed would not be pleasant.

"I brought your sister here to mediate the border dispute."

If he had been capable of the feeling, dread would have risen up in his heart at the thought of his fair sibling in the hands of such a ruthless man. As it was, there was only a slight discomfort before Zechs nodded, picking up his wineglass and sipping out of it. It was quite apparent that a response would be appreciated, but the knight despised playing his master's games.

Finally Treize sighed. "I thought that you might feel your family obligations and visit her. Perhaps I guessed wrong. Oh well, I'll just have to console her myself."

The silence that fell after those words was deafening. The eyes behind the mask gazed long and hard upon the carefree face opposite; finally, Zechs opted to speak.

"The partings that have come between us require no one to offer consolation, least of all _you_."

Treize's laughter followed him as the knight took his leave. There was a madness in the garden that had never quite been there before.

-

After the masked knight departed, Treize lifted his wineglass and saluted the empty doorway. "Ah, the joy of lost emotions. At least he retains some sense of connection to the living." His eyes turned to the hound. "It would be so unsporting if he did not."

The creature didn't respond to the words, but that failed to stop Treize from laughing aloud again. When he stopped, it was to drain the contents of his wineglass before setting it back upon the table. Rising, he spared a glance at the beast. It would be such a shame to waste the contents of the meal, but Zechs apparently had no time for frivolity. Sighing, the man dumped the food upon the ground before taking his leave of the garden. It was a waste, but Arwol would clean things up for him.

Some things just couldn't be helped.

Besides, it was almost time for another infusion of the power.

---

She was pacing again in the ambassador's quarters when Pagan finally appeared. The old man seemed refreshed by his walk, though slightly winded as he took his customary place in the window seat. Heat from the sun soaked into his bones as he regarded his charge with concealed amusement.

"So he is here then?"

Relena turned and glared at him. "Yes, Zechs is in the palace. However, when I tried to see him, they denied my request."

"I see."

It was to be expected, Pagan mused. While the princess might not accept it, her brother was trying to protect her from the debt that he had chosen to pay. Last goodbyes had already been said among the siblings, and Zechs seemed determined to keep things as they were, even if he had to go so far as to forbid her entry to his quarters.

Though it was strange that he had shown himself at the banquet the previous night. Even behind the mask and the crimson cloak, Pagan could see the straight form of his other charge, the prince who had given up life to save his sister.

Relena returned to her pacing. "I only wanted to see him. Was it too much to ask for?"

"My lady."

Noin stepped forward from the shadows, her form blurring into being. Dropping to one knee, she bowed before her princess. "Please, allow me to speak with your brother."

The pacing came to an immediate halt as Relena turned to stare at her shadow. "And what is it that you wish to speak with him about?" Her smile was sad, as if she already knew the answer to the question. "Nevermind that. Just answer me this, why do you wish to be the envoy?"

The shade glanced up, her eyes meeting those of her princess. "Because I am the only one who can speak with him, regardless of the fact that he does not wish to speak with anyone. No one else has the power to reach him in person, unless they use magic to do so, and that would attract attention that we do not wish."

Pagan nodded. "This is true."

"Please, let me try." Noin hesitated, then looked down at the floor again. "He will listen to me. I know he will."

"Very well." Relena looked troubled, but gave her assent nonetheless. "But be careful and come back to me. I do not wish to lose you because of a hope that cannot be fulfilled. Your life is precious to me as well, my shadow."

Nodding, the shade vanished. Relena sighed and turned to her guardian. "So, what did Zechs say to you?"

Pagan blinked. His ward was becoming ever more perceptive as the days passed.

---

Swords flashed in the sunlight as the two participants in the duel measured each other's strengths. Footwork played back and forth as the combatants shifted their stances from attack to parry and back to the attack again. Finally the duel came to a halt as the knight stepped away from his opponent and sheathed his sword.

"You are stronger than I expected. Good." Zechs stared for a long moment at the human that he had been crossing swords with. "A veritable Mountain, I suspect. It is a good thing."

Turning away, the knight strode back towards his quarters, leaving Heero to sheath his sword and glare at the departing figure. While the duel had been a draw, it also made it impossible to obtain the information that he had been seeking. Such things left him mildly irritated. "Hnn."

Almost as an afterthought, Zechs turned and regarded the other warrior again. "For becoming the shield of my sister, I thank you. It means more to me than you may ever know. I salute you." Bowing deeply, heturned away and disappeared into the maze of hallways that surrounded the palace proper.

Heero turned away as well, his path taking him back to the elven ambassador's quarters. Perhaps he had learned something worthwhile today after all.

---

The opening of the outer door signaled that Zechs had returned.

With his thoughts far away, he wasn't aware of her presence when he entered the room and closed the door behind him. Hiding as she was in the shadows, it was unlikely that anyone could detect her. The knight turned away from her as he stepped over to the window. His attention seemed caught by some small drama outside...

Noin reared up then, emerging from the shadows to strike at his unprotected back. Warrior's instinct does not come lightly however, and Zechs' had been honed with the many skirmishes that he had participated in over the years. Her blade was stopped by his.

Not turning to face her even now that he was aware of the mortal danger, he spoke quietly and concisely as though standing in the middle of a diplomatic debate. His poise was ever that of a proper representative of his noble line.

"Why have you come?"

He knew her then. Of course he would; they had nearly been lovers once after all! Just as she had known that he would block the strike. Her voice spoke of passion repressed as she swung a blade with her reply.

"Do you not already know?"

He had turned to face her now, sword held firmly in two hands as he parried the attack. His movements were graceful as ever they had been inside the secret forest of Arbonath; the place where she had fallen in love with a prince.

The swords stopped, crossed at the middle of the blades. Zechs shook his head slowly as he recognized the look behind her eyes.

"It cannot be."

The firm finality of his tone was like a freshly opened wound. The shadow elf staggered backwards to lean against the wall. Agony was etched across her features as she raised her hand to ward off the unseen blow.

"I came for your sister's sake, though she knows it not! And also for my own; I would be your shadow." Her voice wavered, but strengthened as she continued. "Can you not turn your back on this war?"

Slowly and methodically Zechs sheathed his rune covered blade. Ice blue eyes peered with hollow compassion from behind the fortress of his mask. A sympathetic smile graced his lips even as he shook his head.

"I cannot; many will suffer if I do."

"But surely…!" His hand rose to still her argument.

"What does the Lord Treize wish from this war? _I will tell you:_ He wishes the elves to invoke sanctuary _now_. And do you know why? Can you fathom his motive?" At the simple shake of her head, the prince continued on. "It is because Sanctuary will draw _every_ elf out of this plane of existence."

His demeanor was grim as he announced one last fact to his assailant. "The only thing that he fears is the Master of Light. And the Master of Light is an _elf_."

-----

_AN: Haven't updated this for a while, but hopefully you all haven't given up on it. Since I've finished 'Hidden Hearts', I might have some time and inspiration to work on 'Myths' again. Hope you all enjoy the chapter._

Read and Review please.

_Trevor X_


	11. Chapter 11: God is Silent

_Warning: Implications of sex (some N/C), and Treize is simply evil. Not just slightly insane, the way he's been acting, but starting to become pure evil. He has no sacred bond anymore. Ye have been warned._

--

Noin stared in shock at the revelation. Her weapon dropped from nerveless fingers to clatter on the floor, even her heartache taking second place to the news that Zechs had just imparted. The prince himself didn't seem to notice the change and continued to push through on his explanation.

"Treize hopes by doing this to eliminate all hope of prophecy fulfilling itself by disrupting the rituals of ascension. He reasons that at the very least it will cause such delay as to enable destruction of some of the prophesied, if not the main portent bringer."

"That is why he wishes to bring war swiftly…"

_"So that others will react without time to discover his true intentions!"_ Noin's words were hushed.

Zechs nodded again.

"And that is why I wish to bring swift war to him; I cannot allow him to succeed in his quest, pawn though I may be. My goal is the end of Khush'Ranada and the threat to my homeland, as well as avenging my parents demise."

Her face lit up briefly as she stepped towards him. "Then let me be at your side! Let me help you fight this evil!"

Again, the prince shook his head. "Nay. Though your offer sets you in great light, you cannot be by my side. Nothing ties you there."

"Yes. There _is_."

Her voice stopped him as he turned to walk away. Pale locks swayed with the movements as he turned his face towards her.

"I _love_ you."

Zechs stood silent, hearing the heartfelt pang of entreaty, the desire of unrequited loyalty. In the midst of it, he turned away; understanding at last what a precious gift she offered. Nevertheless, he would not see her waste it upon a lifeless dream.

"My lady."

His voice was soft, but the formality left no doubts. "My lady, you cannot be my shadow and you cannot love me for a simple reason: I am already dead. On the day that my parents fell and I took up rage as my weapon, Milliardo the Peace Crafter fell beside them."

"I am dead. I have no more heart or spirit, no capacity to take on love and hate. I only abide here to finish a few lonely tasks before this body is released to return to the earth."

"_The dead cast no shadow."_

Pleading was useless. Noin fell to her knees in sorrow, clasping her hands to her breast. Grief threatened to overwhelm, but the spirit refused to be crushed.

"There is no hope then?" She turned a tear stained face to regard her fading vision.

"No! Always there is hope!" Standing solidly in front of her now, Zechs began to lecture. A bit of his old presence shone through as he did. "To hold hope is to hold life; and holding life is hope!"

"But," and he paused to regard her with emotion akin to compassion, "there is one whom you must seek. My sister has acquired a mountain for a shadow, a refuge not easily shaken."

"However, the one who hears the light walks incomplete, for he walks without his shadow. Go to him and know his soul; for then shall he remain with the world and be fulfilled. This is the one task that I cannot of myself accomplish." His smile was radiant, almost ethereal. Noin retrieved her weapon before returning to her feet.

A soft whisper was all her reply. "I shall go and do."

The shadow elf disappeared by the same methods that had gained her entrance. Zechs sighed, before turning to stride through the doorway. "That is all that any of us can say."

The former prince left the room _without_ a shadow.

--

He watched her as she slept, the play of the firelight upon her face near hypnotic to the shade. Duo smirked to himself as he thought about how far she'd come since the day that they had first met. While her bond with the earth still wasn't very strong, her link with fire and shadow had progressed rapidly, allowing him to teach her the shadow walking ability. With its aid, they had been able to journey far faster than before, even if it still took longer than earthwalking.

Hilde had asked him about it when they first started. _"Why does it take longer than Earthwalking? After all, when it's night, shadow covers the world."_

Duo had explained that while this was true, it also made it so there were very few markers or portals that shades could use to exit the world of shadows and return to normal space. _"It's rather like diving into the water without any light, swimming around for a while and then coming back up to the surface. You might end up right were you started, or several miles away. And if you couldn't find the surface, you might get stuck until daylight arrives."_

_"It's also a bit like shooting an arrow after your eyes closed and you've spun around a few times. You might not like what you've hit after you open your eyes."_

That seemed to satisfy her curiosity on that subject, at least for the moment. Still, they were making progress towards the next sword, and that was enough for him. Besides, Hilde was just too cute when she was sleeping. Duo grinned and leaned over to plant a chaste kiss on the girl's forehead. It was a quick thing, over in a moment, with Duo quickly looking around as though he expected an audience to appear. His attention elsewhere for the moment, he missed the small smile that passed over Hilde's face.

_'Duo.'_

--

The rest of the princess' entourage had assembled for a private meal in the ambassador's quarters when Noin finally reappeared. The shadow elf came into the room as though possessed of some great weight, causing an immediate reaction from her charge. Relena rose from her chair and rushed to support her friend and bodyguard. "Noin!"

All the rest of the assembled came to their feet as well, their attention fixed on the princess. Altisen Woodcloak hastened to reinforce the wards, while Sali moved to check on the returning bodyguard. The ambassador stopped just shy of her objective as Relena held out a hand. "Peace friends, there is no physical harm to her."

Sali nodded and drew back a pace. Pagan cleared his throat and the rest of the elves returned to their seats, save Relena. Almost apologetically, she excused herself from the meal. Noin vanished in a moment, returning to the princess' shadow. Heero stood silent in the corner, not having moved during the little drama. His eyes followed the princess as she vanished into her quarters, though he made no move join her at the present. Even he could understand that Relena wished a private moment alone with her friend. The meal resumed, though with a sadly subdued air.

For her part, Relena waited until the door was firmly shut behind her to sigh. Her brother frustrated the life out of her; for whatever reasons of his own, he insisted on not seeing her. Pagan had yet to reveal what had passed between them, and Noin apparently succeeded in facing Zechs, if her appearance was any indication. The shade had not shown such an outpouring of emotion since the day that Milliardo had disappeared from the list of successors to the throne. Noin phased back from the shadows, kneeling in front of the princess.

Relena touched her shoulder gently. "What did he say to you, Noin?"

Tear-filled eyes met her own as her bodyguard struggled to tell the tale. "We spoke of many things, and he said that he cannot love me, that he is already dead. He says that Lord Khush'Ranada seeks to displace the elves from the world by bringing war to them, and forcing Sanctuary. He says that I must seek out the 'Master of Light', an elf that the Lord fears above all else."

"Beyond that, he says that you have found a mountain for your shadow."

The princess' eyes flashed and her eyebrow raised. "He did, did he? Well, he certainly seems to be taking a personal interest in my welfare, even if he insists that nothing moves him." Her expression softened, and she hugged Noin in a comforting manner. "Don't worry, I know how you can find the one that you must seek."

Noin drew back in surprise. "How?"

"It's an old elven secret known only to the royal family." Relena winked conspiratorially, and then stared hard at Noin for a long moment. "And what reason did he give for you to go searching for the elf, do you know?"

"He said that I must know his soul..." Noin frowned and broke off her sentence when Relena broke out in laughter.

"Oh my! That is just too rich!"

It took the princess a few moments to calm down enough to explain. Once she composed herself, she looked back at her bodyguard. "Zechs is a genius or a meddler of the worst kind, all things considered. Not only is he playing matchmaker with me, he's also playing around with your love life too."

"To put it simply, he wants you to form a soul bond with the 'Master of Light', to become his permanent shadow. You would have to be very intimate with him, entwine your very being with his. In other words, Zechs is trying to get you married."

"It does not matter. In fact, I am happy." Noin's reply was a whisper that the princess had to focus quickly to catch. The blonde elf tilted her head and frowned at the shade.

"You don't care? It makes you happy? Why?"

"Because," Noin looked directly into her friend's eyes. "He cares, even when he cannot. And because I am alive, and there is hope that I can find love. That is why I am happy. That is why you should be happy, even if you cannot see your brother and speak to him."

She watched as Relena took a few moments to ponder her words. Zechs had been right, after all. _For those who live, there is always hope_.

-

Daylight was fast approaching when Treize finally roused himself from sleep. His eyes roamed over his current bed partner, the high priestess of Ooragard. She slept on, used to the strange hours that the Lord of the place seemed to keep. She did whimper a little and move to pull the covers closer to herself when he stood up, however. Just because his habits were known to her didn't mean that she liked to be cold.

Treize smirked as he dressed himself, judiciously applying magic to ensure that he appeared in clothes freshly pressed, instead of looking like they had lain in a pile upon his mistress' floor during the night. The lady slept on as he exited the room, careful to avoid the temple proper. The acolytes might be swayed by his position, but the rest of the clergy resented his presence greatly. His path led out through a private way to the inner courtyard, and then by another little used passage to the outer walls of the temple.

As he reached the inner courtyard, he noticed a figure slipping through the almost light of the early morning. Treize halted and drew his cloak closer, hiding the hand that grasped the rapier by his side. Almost immediately the man stopped and stared, then proceeded cautiously towards Treize. When he drew closer, he recognized the cloak, embroidered about with the crimson rose and thorns.

"My liege." He sketched a low bow and Treize relaxed slightly. Now that he was close enough for study, an examination revealed a shock of red hair beneath the dull colored cloak that he clutched about him. The lord thought hard for a moment, thinking back through the various spies that the Lady Une had introduced him to, trying to recall the man's name. Suddenly it came to him, and an evil grin crossed his face.

"Q'ivel, wasn't it?" Seeing the man look up and nod, Treize continued. "So, what news are you bringing the lady at this hour?"

The spy hesitated for a moment, but then shrugged. His information ended up with the Lord in the end, so why not tell him? "My lord, another spy from the North has appeared, taking up his residence at the arena. He has not moved about the city, but as I have watched him, I have sensed the spy that I have not been able to catch. I believe that the man at the arena is the one who sends all information on to the mountains. I do not know why, but I believe that it is important somehow."

"I intend to inform the lady, and ask what course she desires to take in regard to the information."

There was silence when the spy finished speaking, and he waited for an answer. For a while Treize said nothing, apparently deep in thought. Q'ivel waited patiently, hoping that he'd be fast enough to effect an escape should the great man decide on some form of punishment. Not that it was probable, but the spy had encountered too many improbable happenings in his life. He started with surprise when Treize finally moved again.

"Ah, I know just the thing. Wait here a moment and I'll return with instructions for you, Q'ivel, Master of spies."

The lord seemed to vanish into the wall, and Q'ivel let his eyes search for the hidden passageway. He did not move from his place, however.

When Lord Khush'Ranada appeared again, it was with the same flair that he'd departed with. He almost seemed smug as he approached Q'ivel. The man watched him warily. Treize grinned. "Fear not, I have need of such as you. You have proven yourself excellently in the capacity that you were assigned. Now I have a promotion and a few things for you to do.

"First of all, leave the matter of the Northman to me, I will assign someone to deal with him." A dark cloud passed behind his eyes momentarily, but Q'ivel missed it. "Next, I have need of your cloak for a time, it will enable me to leave this place unseen, or at least, unmolested. In exchange, I will leave you my cloak and this ring. When you are finished with your assignment, come present the ring at the palace and you will be admitted. Cloaks will be exchanged at that time."

Q'ivel shrugged out of his cloak and handed it over, studying the ring that the lord handed to him in detail before slipping it on his ring finger. Slipping the embroidered cloak that bore the rose and thorns symbol over his shoulders, the spy looked clearly uncomfortable, as though he were committing a sacrilegious act.

Laughter brought such musings to an end quickly. "Don't worry about petty matters. You work directly for me now, and will report all matters that you find inside of the capitol to me without delay. The lady will now take your orders. In fact, that brings me to your first assignment; I wish you to take care of the lady for a few hours, up to this time tomorrow. I will be otherwise occupied, and I do not wish her to have her bed unoccupied in my absence."

"My lord?" The spy looked torn between desire and despair. "What if the lady does not desire my advances?"

Treize quirked an eyebrow. "What of it? She is yours to do with as you please. Show her my ring, she will understand."

"She is a powerful priestess..."

"Don't be afraid. My power is great enough to protect you from her. This I promise. So go, use and abuse as you see fit. The lady awaits you." Treize slipped away into the shadows of the temple, heading for the entrance.

Q'ivel stood where he was a moment longer before turning to the hidden passageway, a manic grin upon his features. One of the noble-born was his to command.

A few moments later, screams could be heard faintly from the Lady's quarters.

-

_He walked in slowly, bending over to whisper in his lady's ear. "Nature beckons me for a moment, Lady. I shall return to you in a moment, to spend a few more minutes in your embrace. At least, before I must return to the toil of the state." His breath touched her ear softly, and she shivered. "Wait here for me, I'll be right back..."_

_Treize turned to the door and regarded the ward that existed from the previous evening. While it had proven quite efficient at keeping out one or two of the clergy, it wouldn't suffice to stop the whole of the priesthood from the temple, should they decide to break into the room. His eyes glowed as he pressed the palm of his hand directly on the door. The ward seemed to pulse as he fed power into it, darkening as the source corrupted the original magic. Finally he stopped and pulled away. The ward mark now glowed darkly, rooted deeply in power that the Lord had placed there._

_Treize smiled, his eyes narrowing as he threw one last gaze at the woman slumbering upon the bed. 'Alas for you, that you do not know the limits that are about to be imposed on you.'_

_He left the room again. A few minutes later, another figure arrived in the doorway. He wasted no time in niceties; once he familiarized himself with the layout of the place, he moved towards the bed, stripping off his garments as he did so. He leaned over and pressed his lips to the lady's cheek, kissing her gently at first..._

Une moaned as she felt her lover climb back into the bed. Last night he had been so full of energy, wearing out the lady in a few hours time. For a while, Une had feared that she wouldn't be allowed any sleep at all. Fortunately, Treize must have seen that and allowed her to get some rest. She felt him lean over and kiss her cheek. _'Ah well, it is time for me to rouse myself anyways. With any fortune he'll be satisfied quickly and move on for the day...'_ Une rolled over and opened her eyes, preparing to welcome her lover properly. That thought stopped immediately as her gaze fully focused on the man in front of her.

She opened her mouth wide and screamed.

"Now, now, is that any way to treat your new master?" The spy was looking quite smug as he watched the lady pulling her covers tightly about herself. It dissipated momentarily with her reply.

"You could never be my master!" Her hands stretched out, not in greeting, but as a form of repulsion. Q'ivel noted the buildup of power behind the hand, and dove off of the bed. The magic passed harmlessly over his head, but he was not highly pleased. "Lord Khush'Ranada is my only master! Now leave my chamber immediately, or I will summon others to remove you."

"You may try, but I have all the right to remain here."

Une's eyes flashed with anger, and she wove a sigil into the air. When it became visible, she spoke clearly into it. "An intruder has entered my chambers. Please see to it that he does not remain here." The magic symbol disappeared with the sound of a chime.

Muffled footsteps sounded in the hallway, stopping just outside of the door. Shouts were raised as the door defied all efforts to open it. The Lady frowned and turned her attention to the door itself. Her frown deepened as she studied the ward that sealed her room from the rest of the temple. Her gaze swung back to Q'ivel as he stood up again.

"The Lord Khush'Ranada has given me his blessing and command. You would do well to fall in line with it."

The Lady's eyes narrowed. "You lie!"

"I do not, and you are mine to take as I please."

The verbal reply was coupled with the raising of his hand to ensure that the Lady could see the small silver band that encircled his finger. Une gasped, it was Treize's signet. Even more than anyone else, she knew that it could not be taken from him by force. Her voice raised in denial of the facts. "_You lie!_"

But he wasn't, and as the spy advanced towards her, the Lady called upon her magic to protect her...

And at that moment, the magic failed.

-

For the clergy scattered throughout the temple the change was instantaneous. A scream carried by a hundred voices echoed through the stone halls, as the voice of the god simply ceased. Acolytes fainted away, while the more experienced priests fell to their knees. Any who had been in contact with the divine power were struck down and lay as though dead. The priests outside of the Lady's room fared no better, their efforts to dispel the wards and come to her aid failing as they lost the ability to concentrate on the magic anymore.

Screams were heard from inside the Lady's room by those out in the corridor. At first they loud shrieks, they eventually tapered off into silence. The priest who pressed an ear to the door thought he could detect the sounds of sobbing on the other side, but was unsure if he was hearing correctly. Behind him, three of the door guards stood at attention, waiting for the door to be opened so that they could dispose of the intruder. The priest slammed a fist into the door, bloodying his knuckles in the process. "Injustice! The intruder must be strong to place such a ward of power upon the door! And why can we not break it! What is going on?"

"Perhaps you are not as connected to your deity as you might first appear. Your god has gone silent."

The guards dropped into defensive stances, while the priest whirled around to glare at the speaker. "And what would you know of such things?"

The dark haired youth shrugged dismissively. "I can see better than most."

As he pushed off from the wall that he had been leaning on, Wufei ignored the guardsmen and focused on the priest. "But you really couldn't care less about that. You want to remove the obstacle that is keeping you out of that room so that you can ensure the safety of the lady within." He stepped up to the door and placed a hand upon it. "Stand back."

As the priest stumbled backwards, the door disintegrated under Wufei's hand, leaving only the ward of power shimmering evilly in the air.

---

_AN: It took a long time to write this one up. There are a lot of different views in this one, and a lot of questions are probably going to be asked, but I shall attempt to answer them properly in further chapters. A lot of things changed during the writing. Some things are not as I first envisioned them, changing in order to fit the changing storyline. For example, Zechs in the original was slated to be one of two villains. Instead, here he ends up being something of a heroic exhile. Go figure._

_Anyway, please take the time to drop a review. I hate knowing that I have readers, but not knowing what you all think. Even if you think that it really needs a lot of work. Please._


	12. Chapter 12: Dragon and Darkness

The door disintegrated under Wufei's hand.

Behind him, the guards started forward. Son of the Dragon turned and frowned at them, and they hesitated. Turning back to the ward, Wufei traced its intricate pattern with his hand, even as he looked into the room beyond. The ward itself was simple enough, anyone with a modicum of magical talent could have cast it. It was merely the amount of power behind it that rendered it so formidable. He turned his gaze back to the symbol and a single guttural word passed his lips. The ward dissolved into thin air.

Wufei stepped into the doorway, now clear of all foreign matter. His gaze took in the room and its contents at a glance before resting on the single occupant thereof. The woman lay very still upon the bed; her eyes were closed, and only the subtle movement of her chest as she breathed betrayed her as a living being. Her body was covered with naught but dried sweat and blood, her limbs bound with strips of cloth. The warrior stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. She was glowing; her whole body was glowing to his sight. Reaching down, he released her wrists from their captivity just as the trio of guards grew bold enough to enter the room behind him. They stopped at the sight of their Lady lying there, broken.

All was silent as Wufei finished his task, and then used the remains of the sheets to cover the woman. He reached out to touch her, the fingers of his right hand resting lightly upon her forehead. She needed healing, and he needed some answers...

The guards could only stare helplessly as the strange warrior began to chant softly to himself, and a strange glow enveloped his hand. The Lady upon the bed gasped for a moment, then sighed softly. Her breathing became deep and even as she fell asleep. As the spell glow faded, Wufei opened his eyes and looked over at the men. "Seal the temple. She needs to rest."

He turned and walked away.

One of guards steeled his nerve enough to call out a question. "Where are you going?"

Wufei stopped, but did not turn around. "To speak with one who has committed a grave injustice." He resumed walking, passing out into the passageway. "Do not worry; I will return and converse with your lady afterwards."

He did not break silence again. His path took him far beyond the gates of the temple and into the city. The betrayer that he had seen in a sudden flash of memory was not the same as the man who had forced himself upon her. And while it might take some time to fully compass the city in search for him, Wufei felt that it would not be long before the man's own desire for notoriety brought him to light.

When he did, Son of the Dragon would speak with him blade to blade.

-

Dark mist swirled around her feet as she journeyed on in this hellish nightmare. Faintly ahead of her she discerned a forming of shapes in clouds, and soon she was walking through the nightmare again; Treize's betrayal and her own abuse at the hands of her former subordinate. The Lady turned and ran from the scene, only to find it materializing ahead of her again. No matter how far she traveled, and no matter what direction she chose, it always formed again in front of her. It was all around her!

She screamed into the darkness, despair her only companion now. Time would not reveal to her how long this lasted, but it was at this point that HE arrived. Striding confidently through the mists that cloaked this place, he seemed a refuge from the world. The Lady ran towards him, but it was as though she were invisible to him. Their paths crossed, and he vanished. Despair knew no bounds, and the Lady sank again to her knees and wept, alone with her nightmare.

So it was that she was startled by the gentle touch of a hand upon her shoulder. Turning her eyes to the side, she beheld the man again, his hair dark and his eyes shining with silver fire. The Lady seized upon his hand with the urgency of a drowning man, fearful lest he disappear again. This time, however, he did not vanish from her sight, but gently began to lead her away from that place. The dark mists parted before them and at last they stood in a safe haven. The man with the silver eyes turned to her.

"You will be safe here now."

His voice made the Lady shiver with the subtle undertone of power that it conveyed. Still, she refused to let go of his hand. If he left, the world might go back to the way that it was before. It seemed that he understood her frame of mind, for his other hand reached out and gently traced the curve of her cheek, stopping only when it cupped her chin and brought her eyes to meet his own.

"I must leave you now for a little while. There is a cry for justice going forth that I cannot deny, and it is safe for you in this place. The nightmares will not trouble you again while you are here." His lips drew up in a smile, and he nodded. "We will speak again on the outside when I return. For now, rest and recover your strength. You will have need of it to bear the burden that has been cast upon you."

With those words, HE faded away. And the Lady found her eyes closing, and sleep overcame her...

Une awoke with a start. The image of everything that had occurred up to this point remained with her, but the image of the man still floated in her mind like a welcome refuge from a harsh reality. Her eyes began to focus, and she recognized the trappings of her own room. Even as she stirred and struggled to raise herself into a sitting position, someone outside of her line of vision rushed over to help her. Une turned and recognized one of the female acolytes assigned to the service of the hidden doors. It was also apparent that she had been crying quite recently.

"My Lady!"

A flurry of movement followed from the doorway, as two of the temple guardsmen stepped inside the room. Seeing all was well, they returned to their post outside of the room, but not before their relief was made clear on their faces. Une turned to the girl beside her. "Where is he?"

"Who, my Lady?"

"Where is the man who was just here? The one with dark hair and eyes of fire?" Noting the girl's confused look, Une tried again. "Where is the man who healed me?"

"I do not know, my Lady. I was called here to look after you while you were sleeping, and I only saw a few of the guardsmen here. Maybe one of them saw him." The girl hurried out of the doorway and returned a few moments later with one of the guards. They were speaking in a low tone, and Une was not able to hear what passed between them. Annoying as that was, she was gratified a moment later when the acolyte stopped beside her bed and bent down to make the introductions.

"My Lady, this is Huram, one of those who came to your summons and tried and failed to enter your chambers because of the ward. He says that he saw the man that you asked about."

The guard stepped forward, sketching a quick half-bow as he stopped in front of the priestess. "My Lady. The man that you asked about was the one who enabled us to enter your room. If it hadn't been for him, we would have taken much longer to penetrate the ward, and it might have been that you would have been in greater danger. Not only that, he healed you without using the power of a god. It's almost as if he could be very dangerous if he chose to be."

"Where did he go?"

Huram blinked, clearly startled out of the musing that he'd fallen into during his recounting. "I am sorry, my Lady. After he healed you, he took leave of the temple and gave us strict instructions to seal it. He said that he had to find someone who had done a great injustice and speak with them." The guard hesitated.

"And?" Une prompted him to continue.

"He said that he would return and speak with you afterwards, my Lady."

Une nodded. It was nearly the same thing that he'd spoken while she was in that nightmare. "Thank you, Huram. You may go now."

Huram bowed again, this time a bit deeper, and then returned to his post outside of the door. The Lady waited until the room was devoid of anyone else before turning to the girl again. "I must rest again. However, if he should return, wake me. I must speak with him." At the young woman's nod, Une closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

-

Son of the Dragon continued his march through the city streets. Every so often, a passerby would turn and stare in his direction, but none seemed inclined to speak to the silent swordsman. Still he pressed onward, following a trail unknown. An hour passed, then another. He seemed no further along in his quest, but a sudden disquiet fell upon the group of persons milling around the entrance to the arena. Wufei reached up to grasp the handle of Justice and nodded.

Yet another sin that required an answer.

He allowed his hand to release the sword, leaving the weapon sheathed as he made his way into the arena. The same sense of disquiet continued to pervade the area, increasing as he made his way further into the interior of the complex. Many of the humans scurrying around the place seemed to feel it as well, even if they didn't have any idea as to the cause of their unrest. Wufei noted several men walking away from a half-open door. As he moved forward to investigate, one of them reached out to grab his shoulder. "Don't go in there. You do not want to involve yourself with it."

Wufei sidestepped the outstretched hand and noted the look of fear upon the man that faced him. "I thank you for your warning, but some things are meant to be faced even in the face of fear. Justice demands that I look and if I fail it because I fear what may come, will there be any justice in my hour of need?"

"I-I... you're crazy!" The man backed away and rushed after his companions. Wufei's eyes glinted with darkening humor as he turned back to his task. Quietly he stepped to the door and pushed it open fully. A hooded figure, stooped over a body in the middle of the floor, stood upright as Wufei entered the room.

"Leave this place, immediately. The lord's justice has been carried out." A single hand thrust out from beneath the brown cloak revealing an ornate signet ring upon his finger. "This is no business for commoners."

"Indeed. Commoners could not abide you and so they have already fled. I, however," here Wufei turned and shut the door behind him, "have nothing common about me. As to justice, you will be called to account for failing gravely to uphold your trust in time. Today I am here to test your blade, not your tongue."

With his back still towards his opponent, Wufei detected the rasp of steel that indicated the drawing of a blade. He reached up and readied his own sword.

"Very well then, shall we dance?" With the flourish of a stage magician, Treize discarded the cloak to the side. His eyes blazed brightly with anticipation of the battle to come and he moved towards the other man. Faster than thought, his rapier sped for the point between the shoulder blades, and faster than thought it was batted aside by the whirlwind that came to rest facing him. Wufei smiled.

"Roses have their thorns, my lord, but the wind moves unharmed through it all."

No further words were spoken at this time, both men giving themselves thoroughly to the battle. The clash of steel upon steel rang clear as strength tested strength. For the space of two hours, nothing else could be heard. In the arena itself, the crowd dispersed quietly, the story of the panicked men having spread to everyone there and the arrival of a platoon of the Crimson Rose only served to bolster the fear of falling under the displeasure of the Lord Khush'Ranada. Thus, no one was present to see the door to the room open, and no one noted the solitary figure who walked silently through the ranks of the gathered soldiers and disappeared into the streets of the city.

It only took the soldiers a few moments to arrive at the room and find the dead man therein.

With no witnesses at hand and no other clues save the dead man himself, the soldiers had no choice but to begin a sweep of the building and surrounding areas. Anyone wandering around was questioned, and though none admitted knowing what had happened, a few persons were found who could give information about the dead man. Even so, little was known except that he had only just arrived and begun to frequent the arena.

Having exhausted all available avenues of inquiry at the site, the soldiers of the Crimson Rose had no other option than to take the body to the city graveyard for burial. A notice was written up with the description of the dead man and his cause of death. This was filed at the palace, along with the man's personal possessions. Task completed, the soldiers left for their barracks.

Above them in the palace proper, Treize finished taking off his borrowed cloak and setting it aside. It had served its purpose, and like his new chief spy, would soon take any blame off of his hands for the assassination of a foreign spy…

-

The gates to the temple closed with a solid bang. To any passers-by, there was the sound of the bars being slid into place, and then silence. The Temple of Ooragard was sealed.

-

_AN: About half the chapter spent a month of waiting for the other half to get written. I appologize for the long delay, due in part to writer's block (mine) and the advent of FFXII (my sister has a copy). Kindly review (and keep your fingers crossed that I'll get the next chapter out faster)._


	13. Chapter 13: Of Spies and Deceit

Hours later, the Lady awoke in her chambers to the sound of a man singing. The song was wordless, at least as far as she could tell, the singer merely using tones and vocalization to express himself. For a time she lay with her eyes closed, listening. When the singing stopped, she finally roused herself enough to look for the source.

He sat beside her bed, a sword laying across the palms of his hands as though he were offering it to someone else. It was a finely crafted work of art, and the Lady sat up to better examine it. Her movements were not unnoticed, and the man opened his eyes and looked over at her. "Greetings, Lady."

"You returned."

Realizing the redundancy of her statement, Une sat up and prepared to throw off the covers. Her intentions were spoiled when the man set the sword gently down and stood to his feet, his hand reaching out to still her. "Of course I did. I said that I would."

"My name, gracious Lady, is Wufei. Please, do not trouble yourself with any sort of rising and bowing. I do not need any thanks for heeding the call for Justice."

Lady Une nodded. "They told me that you set off to speak with the man who did this. Did you find him?"

"I did." Wufei inclined his head. "And we spoke together at length, his blade to mine. It was quite the experience, I assure you. His sword managed to put a few nicks in my blade, a hard feat for any sword not fashioned by the gods or high magic. Tell me, does he by any chance wield a blessed blade?"

The Lady shook her head. "He had it crafted for himself when he first ascended the seat of power in the city twelve years ago. There was the ceremonial request of the gods to bless the blade, but whether any god has actually touched it, I do not know. In fact, I do not even know whether he has taken a patron god. He never paid any respects to the temple of Ooragard, and I would have known if he were a follower of the Keeper of Faces."

Wufei returned to his seat on the floor, picking up his sword and returning it to its sheath. When he looked over at the Lady again, he appeared to be amused. "So he had no patron; yet you were willing to be his mistress, and beyond that, his minion. You gathered the secrets of the world for him. Tell me, what _do _you know of your betrayer?"

Une looked troubled. _'What do I know?'_

-

_Earlier that evening..._

_None of the guards reacted as the cloaked man strode through the palace doors and into the inner sanctum of the lord of the palace. He hesitated momentarily before the garden entrance, but as no one made move to stop him, eventually ventured inside. His lord was there waiting for him to arrive..._

Treize looked up as the spy entered. Q'ivel stopped and bowed low to his master, waiting for permission to come nearer. He heard Treize's laughter and steeled himself to endure it until he better knew what was going on. When his lord finally spoke, it only served to confuse the spy further.

"I must heartily commend you upon the gallant use of your arms this day. You have rid us of a nuisance of the highest order, a noble from abroad sent to spy upon us. Your loyalty is quite commendable."

Q'ivel blinked and looked up. "Mi'lord?"

"You don't need to understand. You only need to accept my commendation." Treize's eyes narrowed and the spy realized that he had offended in some fashion. "But if your curiosity requires sating, you need only find the remains of your unfortunate victim in the halls below. I believe that the guard disposed of his belongings to the hall of justice. A murder without any motive is what they called it, I believe. You might be able to clear it up to their satisfaction, given the authority that you now wield in my name."

"Of course, I only heard of such goings on from your report just now. I've been busy with my mistress and so haven't had the time to be gallivanting around the city and visiting with foreigners."

It only required a few moments of thought for Q'ivel to grasp the situation that his lord was setting forth. If anyone were to ask, their roles that day were reversed. The story must be that the Lord Khush'Ranada had spent the day in the haven of his mistress' arms, while his loyal hound Q'ivel had dispatched a threat to the country.

"I understand, mi'lord."

Treize sighed pleasantly. "I thought you might. You didn't survive the streets by being stupid all of the time. That is why you are of some use to me now. Remember that, and your service will remain _pleasant_. I would so hate to have to dispose of two spymasters in the same week."

"Yes mi'lord." Q'ivel turned away, his lord's laughter still ringing in his ears...

-

Heero frowned with concern as he passed through the streets of the capital. There had only been one message earlier this week, the name of a meeting place. Nothing had been sent to him since then. He reached out with the power that he held and probed the surrounding area. Still nothing came to him, and he hurried onward.

The sensation of the earth was disturbing as he drew nearer to the meeting place. There was no welcome from the stones, nothing but the cold indifference of rock that had been trodden underfoot for centuries without a care. Still he moved onward, content in the knowledge that none marked his passing, his own magic shielding him from the notice of others. As he moved forward, his gaze remained fixed on his goal - a large building where any could practice their arts of war.

It took only a few moments to blend with the crowd that stood within the entrance, but longer than that before Heero could speak with anyone associated with the arena. The manager of the place took his coins and spoke briefly of several foreigners that had stopped in during the previous ten-day. Most had used the area to train in, but only a couple had stayed longer than a few hours. Heero barely acknowledged the man's farewell as he returned to the hallways, and the man seemed content to count his coins instead of paying attention to yet another stranger.

As he moved back through the hallways, Heero again searched the stone beneath him for answers. Again, it sent back the same cold feeling that he had received all day. Almost imperceptibly, his pace quickened. Something was wrong if the earth held no greeting. His path took him directly to each of the rooms that the manager had mentioned, and in each he stopped long enough to search it with both eye and magic. No one paid him any mind in either the first or second room, but the third was conspicuously empty for some odd reason. Heero stepped inside and closed the door.

Subtle flows of the magic ensured that the door would remain closed. Heero dropped the cloaking spell and walked over to the middle of the room. There was something different upon the floor here. Remnants of dried blood remained.

Outside of the room, a man blinked and looked around. Hadn't the door to that room been open a moment ago? Shrugging, he continued on his way, almost forgetting why he'd stopped in the first place.

Back inside of the room, Heero bent down and touched the bloodstained stones. Pushing forth with his magic, he strove to find some link to what had occurred, even if just from the perspective of the stones themselves. Who had taken an injury here, and why hadn't the room been given more than a cursory cleaning? His eyes narrowed as a sudden change in the magic caught his attention. A symbol appeared on one of the flagstones, partially traced with blood.

"Hietre."

Heero barely brushed the symbol and suddenly his perspective changed. He was lying on his back and someone stood over him with a sword. He knew instinctively that he was going to die. Part of his being registered the slow movements of his fingers upon the floor, even as he watched the sword descend. A flash of gold drew his attention away from the sword as it descended, long enough to register the design on the ring...

Just as suddenly he was back in his own body, reflexively clutching at his chest where the sword in the vision had pierced his brother through. Sweat dripped from his face, and it took a few breaths to reorient himself. Hietre was dead. Someone had come here to kill him, and they had succeeded, but not before a message could be passed on. A brown cloak, a black rapier, and the golden ring. These identified his murderer, and they would regret ever having taken the life of a child of the mountains. On this he swore his oath.

Whoever had done this had to have known of Hietre's arrival, and have surmised the reason behind it. Heero recast his magical cloak as he approached the door, drawing out the magic that held it shut. As he exited the room, he left the door ajar, precisely as he had found it. It was time for him to return to the palace, the princess would be desiring her daily walk in the gardens, and it would be best for him to be near at hand.

Relena was waiting for him when he arrived at the ambassador's quarters, though she seemed subdued. She remained quiet as they toured the grounds, sometimes pausing beside certain displays of flowers or cunning statuary, but always moving on without comment. Heero was content to leave things as they were, but something caught his eye as they returned along the pathway - a brown cloak passing into the palace. Almost he forgot his place and rushed after the figure, until a quiet sigh from the elf beside him stopped him in his tracks. The princess was staring forlornly at the palace proper, and he recalled that she had not had any opportunity to visit her brother. When he glanced back over, the cloak had already passed out of sight, and any chance of obtaining the trail at this point would be worthless. He could not drag the princess with him on a personal quest, it would be incompatible with his sworn duty as her bodyguard.

But perhaps he could help her upon the path of her personal quest. "Princess, if you so desire it, we might pass by the quarters of the foreign nobles before we make our way back to the ambassador's rooms." His voice sounded cold to his own ears, but Relena graced him with a whimsical little smile before shaking her head. Her eyes were sad as she turned away from the building.

"No, I doubt that he would be there. Perhaps when he is ready to speak with me I can see him; until then, I will hope for that day to come." A breeze picked up as she walked onward, sending the fragrance of the garden swirling by the pair. "Besides, I must prepare a suitable farewell for one of my dearest friends. She won't be coming with me to the banquet tonight."

Heero fell into step beside her, and as he watched the young woman from the corner of his eye, it seemed that she was crying silent tears even as her face graced the world with sunshine. Almost clumsily, he managed a few words designed to comfort. "It is hard, losing comrades. Even harder, if they are a true friend or brother."

Relena nodded, and Heero chanced a question. "Is she going far?"

Brilliant blue eyes met his, and for a moment Heero forgot what he had just asked. When he blinked, time moved forward again. The elven princess nodded, her gaze solidly fixed on him. "She is taking a road that very few have ever traveled. What dangers lie on it, even she cannot say. And should I see her again, things can never be the same betwixt us." Relena sighed. "I knew that this day would come eventually, though I much more expected to see it when she wed my brother. Nothing in the world today looks like I imagined it would in my childhood."

"They were married?" Heero raised an eyebrow.

"No, though they almost pledged themselves to one another. It was just before my father and mother were assassinated while returning from a state trip to Ganwyng. My brother decided to ride out and meet them half way there, and arrived just as they were attacked. I only saw him once afterwards; he told me that he had changed his name. That was the last time that either of us had seen him before this week." Relena shook her head slowly as they ascended the front steps of the ambassador's house. "She still loves him. But he is beyond her now, perhaps beyond us all."

"Once he gave himself to rage, all life left him. It is death for an elf to kill in a rage. That is why we often seem aloof to you humans, it is merely that we have been given the burden of keeping our emotions on a tight rein."

Heero nodded and stopped to open the door for the princess. She thanked him quietly as she entered the building and he stepped in behind her, closing the door and blocking off the view of the world outside. Elna greeted the returning wanderers as they stepped inside the princess' assigned chambers. Noin was there as well, hidden in the shadows as always. Heero left the princess in their care as he returned to his own quarters for the time being. Perhaps there would be time for a talk with Pagan before the banquet tonight. The old man certainly had many useful abilities, and it might be that he could explain a few things as well...

-

_Upon another plane of existence..._

_She of the faces watched with amusement the petty squabbles upon the tiny portion of the world where her temples resided. In this human land of Ganwyng was one of her favored, and she often turned her attentions there as of late. Requests for her blessing were abundant lately upon those who espied the shadows and turned their faces inward to conceal their motives. Her favored had just finished another splendid evening of entertainment, when she felt the presence of one behind her._

_"And now, Lady of Faces, you are mine!"_

_Chains stretched forth from the figure's hand, and when they enveloped her, she knew no more for a time..._

---  
End Chapter  
---

_AN: An explanation: I rewrote Heero's portion three times before I finally reached the final version. This whole thing is still too short for my tastes, but you all have been so patient that I felt that I needed to post something. Hopefully this clears up a few questions from previous chapters, and as always, probably raises a few more._

_Thank you all for your support - it means a lot to me. The next chapter is in progress, and it seems to be flowing a little bit. Enjoy your reading, and if you find the heart, review._

_See you next time._


	14. Chapter 14: Shade and Sorceress

"That's huge!"

Hilde stared up at the cliff face that towered overhead. Beside her, Duo grinned. "Yeah, they say that the gods made this in the time that they walked on the earth. The legends state that there's a temple on the summit, a sacred place where no weapon can prevail."

"Is that why we came here?" Hilde turned her gaze to the Shade by her side. He nodded, frowning a little now. "Yeah. There's also one legend that states that the gods left a sword here. It wasn't easy to find, buried under many, many layers of history in the capitol, but there is a sword here that can divide even a god from his power, if he abuses it."

"So how do we get up there?" Hilde noted that the frown on Duo's face deepened at her question.

"That's the hard part. We'll have to climb."

He didn't looked thrilled at the prospect and only shrugged as Hilde continued looking at him questioningly. Finally he gave up. "All right already! We can't earthwalk together up the side and I'm not even sure that it would work for me to do it by myself. The elders said that only those who could climb up there or fly could enter, so I think that we have to climb."

"Are you sure that you don't want to at least try earthwalking before you say that?"

Duo blinked. "Didn't you just hear me? I said we couldn't do it together."

His answer was an exasperated sigh and a slender finger poking him in the middle of his chest. "I know that silly. But I know that it won't hurt for me to wait down here for you to come back. If you hurry, it won't take very long. You might even make it in a day." Hilde smiled softly at his concerned look. "I appreciate that you want to take me with you, but you were already looking for this place long before you found me. I think that you ought to at least try before you commit us to the possibility of breaking our necks."

There was a long pause before Duo finally nodded. "All right. I'll try it."

He walked over to the cliff face, took a deep breath, and vanished into the ground. Hilde sighed quietly and walked over to the cliff face. "Hurry back, Duo."

-

The cottage outside of the city was a humble dwelling for one that served the Seer, but Dorothy had been here many times before on her volition and thought nothing of its appearance. It was here in fact, that she had learned the news that troubled her enough to take it before her liege-lord. They had been discussing an ancient text when she arrived, and the prophetess had only shook her head when Dorothy had inquired. "The one who now takes the place of the Master of Light shall cause these words to be fulfilled. The lord of this land shall fail in his schemes and shall be destroyed. This I have seen."

Now she was returning, because she needed to know the location of the man who would be the Master. Despite her considerable powers, Dorothy had found that she could not scry with any degree of accuracy from one day to the next. And without knowing precisely who she needed to find, she feared to try her hand. The prophetess knew, that much was certain. She only told of things that she had seen.

Dorothy raised her hand and knocked upon the door.

The serving girl opened it as normal and welcomed her inside with a smile and a nod. "Lady Dorothy! What brings you here today of all days? Were you not here earlier this week to speak with the prophetess?"

Dorothy nodded absently as she looked around for woman that she sought. "I was, but I had need to return. Hana, where is your mistress?"

"I am sorry my lady, but my mistress received summons yesterday to an unknown location. I do not know where she was going, nor the time of her return." Hana looked regretful as she parted with the information. "It was very sudden."

"Do you know who brought her the message?"

Hana laughed softly as she shook her head. "She received summons; no one brought her a message."

"For all that is sacred! At a time like this..." Dorothy allowed her voice to trail off as she understood the meaning behind the servant girl's words. "Of course, duties to the Seer. And just when I needed her help, too. Very well, there are other mages who might be able to help me. I shouldn't have brought court problems here anyway." Nodding stiffly to the girl, Dorothy turned and made her way outside. Halfway in stride back towards the palace, she had to halt to reply to the girl's question.

"Did you wish me to send word when my mistress returns?"

"Yes, that would be welcome." Dorothy smiled tightly. "But do not trouble her with my coming here. I will find the answers I seek on my own."

Turning again, she vanished into the streets.

-

Duo's return was sudden; he emerged from the ground abruptly, startling Hilde from her cloud watching. She jumped to her feet with fire in hand, and then realized who had appeared in front of her. The flames vanished and she leaned weakly against the cliff face. "Wow Duo, that was quick. Don't startle me like that!"

"I was trying to hurry." A frown darkened the shade's face, and as Hilde watched, he walked over to the cliff face and punched it solidly. There was a solid smack as flesh met stone, and Duo came away shaking his hand. "Ow!"

Hilde's face was a mask of disbelief. "That's what happens when you try to knock out a giant wall of stone."

Duo grinned suddenly. "You noticed? Yeah, it usually does." He was silent for a moment, gazing up at the cliff face. "I tried walking inward for a while before trying to ascend. It seemed to be working, but when I came up, this is where I popped out of the earth. I never actually made it to the top. That's why it seemed so fast."

"It's like the mountain doesn't exist to my senses when I'm underground. I know that its here - I can see it and feel it. I can even use magic to manipulate it slightly." Duo focused on the rock face in front of him, and it turned into a miniature self portrait. "I know that it's rock, I should be able to walk through it, but I can't. And since legend conveniently has the gods making this mountain, maybe they sealed all the easy ways in."

"I guess we get to do this together after all."

Hilde nodded. "So how are we supposed to climb this? Are you going to use magic to create a ladder for us?"

Duo nodded. "That's what I've been considering."

"Um, Duo?"

He glanced over to where Hilde was looking at him meekly. "Yes?"

"You did know that I'm afraid of heights, right?"

He stared.

"Well not so much heights as what happens if you happen to fall." Hilde grinned impishly. "I'm kind of afraid of falling."

"If you fall, I'll catch you." Duo's voice was deadly serious. He winked at her, lightening the mood. "After all, it wouldn't be proper to allow the goddess who graces me with her presence to die while on _my _mission."

"You're just saying that." Hilde blushed lightly and ducked her head. "But I'm holding you to your promise. You'd better keep it."

"Oh, I will. I may run and hide, but I never lie." Duo thought for a moment. "Well, there is the joking around, but I never do that if its something very serious, like life."

He pressed a hand against the rock wall, and a series of projections appeared. "Shall we?"

-

Dorothy cursed herself silently for foolish expectations as she wended her way through the city streets. Foolish, hopeful expectations. From the first, Catherine had made it clear that she was a servant of the Seer; but it had been so long ago that Dorothy herself had almost forgotten it. Though she had made it a habit of visiting, they were still only good acquaintances and not friends. _'Of course she had to go; it's not like she knew that I was coming. Even if she is a prophetess, she still can't see everything that will happen.'_

Her pace slowed as she neared the palace grounds. Trying to scry on her own would be an exercise in futility, but she would try it as a last resort if no one else could help her. Dorothy eyed the gardens with a critical eye as she passed, more from habit than from any care as to their beauty or condition. Curiously, two men walked there; one ancient and the other a mere boy in comparison. They were companions of some visiting nobility, servants likely. Dorothy shook her head vehemently and continued on her way. It didn't really matter.

Her path took her straight to the royal library. Housed within its walls were both sages and mages aplenty, as the royal line made use of both for many of the mundane tasks around the city. Vast knowledge was stored here, and Dorothy knew a few of the staff from previous visits. They would aid her, if not by her request, than certainly upon a royal one.

As her cousin was fond of saying, _"All roses have thorns."_

It was known to all in the city that to defy an order of the Crimson Rose was to court damnation. Refusing a royal request was only slightly less frowned upon, usually resulting in loss of favor. Dorothy hoped that it would not come down to her needing to use her cousin's name, even if her need came from his command. It would go easier if it was someone that she knew, though to what result she could not be certain.

It came as something of a relief then, when she noted one of her former tutors immediately upon entering the library. The man was deeply engrossed in an older tome, but looked up as the noble daughter approached. "Greetings, Lady Dorothy. How may I serve you today?"

"Sageras." Dorothy nodded to acknowledge the man's greeting. "It is necessary for me to find a person who goes by the title 'Master of Light'. What can you tell me?"

"And why might you be asking, young one?" Dorothy looked up to find the old man that she had seen in the gardens standing a mere two feet away. Though he leaned on his staff, it didn't appear that he needed it for locomotion.

"I am only doing as I have been instructed. Who are you that you address me so?"

"One who knows of many things from having lived a long time. Regarding the 'Master' that you seek, I know more than you do and can share it if you care to keep an old man company for a while."

"Sargeras?"

The sage looked thoughtful. "It would probably be the fastest way to find what you seek. This man is, as I understand it, a mage attached to the elven court. He has shown remarkable knowledge over his visits here the last few days."

Dorothy looked doubtful, but still nodded politely to the old man. "Very well. I suppose that I can accompany you for a time."

She had to stand somewhat hastily as the old man turned back towards the door. "Well child, you may call me Pagan. It is the only name that I have known for some time now. We'll walk in the gardens - it's better for conversation there. No offense to the learned scholars of this library, of course."

Sargeras waved off the comment. "No indeed, it was an honor to converse with you again."

Dorothy raised an eyebrow at that, but quietly followed the old mage out into the gardens. For a time they walked in silence, and just as she began to have second thoughts Pagan's voice stopped her. "Ah, this should be fine."

They had stopped in front of one of the many pools that dotted the area. Pagan seated himself upon the stone bench, warm from the sun and still in the view of that celestial body. He patted the area beside himself. "Come child, have a seat. We have much to speak of I think, you and I. Yes indeed, many things."

-

End Chapter

-

_AN: A certain review set me thinking about a lot of stuff related to the story. There were some items that I had vaguely set up with regards to Abiara - the land that the Dukes hail from. Needless to say, I've been spending some considerable time actually writing portions regarding Dekim and his posse, plus their country. It'll probably come out sometime later in the story, but certainly needed looking after. Also, Dorothy needed her tale filled in more, so I've done some writing on her portion of the story._

_And of course Duo and Hilde. They have my thanks for being so cute to write._

_As a side note, for all of you who pay attention to such details... Duo says, "Legend says that there's a temple where no weapon can prevail." Wufei says, "No weapon was ever forged here, for it was forbidden by the gods." Why is that? Well, legends have a way of changing from place to place. Central ideas stay the same, while details change. They're probably both right. So don't worry about it too much - I did write it that way on pupose._

_After all, Duo's people have been gone for a long, long time. Well, that's all for now._

_See you next time._


	15. Chapter 15: Mage Advice

"There is only one thing that I wish to discuss. The Master of Light."

The old one smiled indulgently at the demand. "Indeed. And I assure you that we will in time. But there are other things that you need to hear as well, and if I give you what you want to hear, then you will rush away without receiving everything that you need."

Dorothy remained silent, irritated by her inability to force the conversation. Even though Sageras had vouched for the man's knowledge, she was beginning to reconsider whether his request was worth her own. Pagan seemed to sense her impatience, for he sighed and reached out to gesture towards the pool in front of them. "If it troubles you this much, why haven't you tried scrying for him?"

Dorothy opened her mouth to answer, and then closed it sharply. Sageras had also plainly stated that this man was a mage. Would he ridicule her for her lack of ability if she told him, or merely pity her? Before she could formulate a reply, Pagan answered his own question. "You have not done so because you cannot."

"How do you know that!" Her outburst was forceful, but quiet enough to not attract attention. Dorothy glared daggers at the old man. "No one knows that except for my tutors, and they were well paid to disregard any lack of talent on my part."

Pagan shook his head. "Lack of talent it may be, but not as a natural occurrence. As to how I knew, it merely runs in your bloodline."

"Have you never wondered why it is that one so gifted with the sorcerer's art should be unable to call up the slightest vision, while the man upon the throne can merely look upon a mirror and see the furthest reaches of his kingdom? And that while not having touched the most minor subjects of magic?" When Dorothy shook her head, the old mage continued. "It is not a likely thing. Most unnatural, even. And it was set in place by your ancestor, the first upon the throne of Ganwyng."

-

Far above the gardens in his own private chambers, the Lord Khush'Ranada entertained his own guest. They had yet to touch the wine in their glasses, and were deep in their discussion.

"Your daughter is quite lovely indeed. She pleases me, and pleased me well with our time together last evening." Dekim sat just a bit straighter, pride taking the foremost of his thoughts. His daughter was playing her part to perfection, even if she had no inkling of the matters behind her betrothal. Treize was smitten with her, just as it should be. It would distract him from any other maneuvers that were planned.

"I am glad to hear that, young lord. I trust that the bond between our houses will remain strong."

"Oh, I'm sure that it shall." Treize blandly reached down and plucked his wineglass off of the table, pausing in his words to take a small sip. "And how are the rest of your countrymen disposed towards our plans?"

"Those that know, support them. And those who would inconvenience them shall fall in the course of the undertaking." Dekim threw the younger man a shrewd look. "I must congratulate you on the political maneuvering, of course. Inviting a splendid specimen of the elven court here to mediate between us was a stroke of genius. The fools will be so distracted by her presence, that it will be possible to get them to agree with any settlement. Though nothing that would detract from our boundaries, sadly. The buffer will have to come on your side, I'm afraid."

Treize looked completely unconcerned at the pronouncement. "That makes it easier to pull off the next phase of the plan, a call to war. Kidnapping the daughter of a duke, that will rouse them, I think."

Dekim smiled darkly. "At which point they take the bait and fall completely into the snare that has been laid before them. We have nothing more to do than pick up the broken pieces of our respective empires. Although mine has more loose ends to tie up than yours does. Is your man ready?"

"Oh yes, he's ready. He can't help but be ready for my command." Treize's expression turned smug. "His life depends on answering the summons. And to think that I hold his sister hostage as well."

"I suppose that will be incentive enough for the man to get the job done. As long as he does, there won't be anything to worry about." Dekim paused to sip his wine again. "That being said, I believe that I should take my leave now and prepare for the banquet. It wouldn't do for them to suspect any sort of connection between us before the right moment. I am supposed to be neutral in these affairs after all."

The duke set down his glass and stood. "Farewell,_ son-in-law_. May we be fortunate in our little games."

"Oh indeed." A smile lit up Treize's face briefly. "Please tell your daughter that I look forward to seeing her again."

Dekim nodded. "I will be sure to inform her."

As the door closed behind is guest, Treize's grin became manic. "Yes indeed, father. I look forward to seeing her again, but you think far too small in this game of power."

He clenched his fist and stared into the depths of his wineglass.

"I can't wait."

-

"The story told simply, is as follows..."

"Garedan Khush'Ranada, first of his line, first of the Lords of Ganwyng. Disinclined to step down from the throne when age set upon him and fearing the plots of those of his own bloodline, conferred with his mages and had them craft a spell whereby he could see all within the borders of his own domain, while at the same time restricting the power to do so from his kin."

"In the crafting of the spell, a drop of blood was necessary, and an oath of succession. The blood to call upon the power of the bloodline, and the oath to pass on the power when death should call for the ruler. So it was that all direct descendants of his blood lost their ability to see anything beyond their sight by magic, save for one who sits upon the throne. To him is the entirety of the bloodline's strength gathered, so that he can at once with a word see all that passes in his domain."

"This is the tale of the limiting."

Pagan fell silent for a long moment while his young companion absorbed the import of his words. When she finally looked over at him, she had a question ready. "So how is it that you know this?"

The old mage shrugged his shoulders. "I have lived a long time in service, young noble. Not always with the same house or country. Knowledge is something that you must have in order to make your service effective."

He smiled. "Perhaps if you live as long as I have, you will understand this. But enough of this. You had one particular bit of my knowledge that you wished to learn of. I shall tell you what I know."

Dorothy sat up straighter at the statement. Her eyes gleamed as she regarded the old man. "Who is the Master of Light?"

"Before we go about seeing who, I suspect it might do you some good to hear 'what' and 'why'." Pagan indulged her impatience with another smile. "The Master of Light is the head of an ancient order, called the Brotherhood of Light. Why it was founded is unknown, but history first records the deeds of the Master and his brothers in the War of Darkness many years past."

"That is merely legend, made by the elves to cover for their own weakness. Shadow elves and vampyres did not exist." Dorothy's voice was flat as she contradicted the old one. To her surprise, Pagan merely shook his head and continued on.

"It was at this time that a spell was designed to counter an army of darkness that had been created by a dark god. The Master of Light presided over this spell, with several of his brethren involved in the casting. It sealed away those called vampyres in a realm of light where they could never be more than mere shadows. The casting called forth much power, and all those involved gave their lives in the process."

"More recently, about two hundred or so years ago, the Brotherhood made their home in the northern stretches of Ganwyng. Their tenets of compassion while seeking to cleanse themselves of darkness made them popular among the villagers of that region, if only because of the aid that they provided. One of the brothers at that time was an acquaintance of mine, and relayed the tale of his order's role in the war, as well as their current actions among the villages."

"Though I never met the Master personally, it seemed that it was not very long before a successor had to be chosen. My friend informed me that his master was dying, and together with his brethren, disappeared for a time. When he returned, it was with the tale that a new Master had arisen. Beyond that, things continued as they had until I left that corner of the world for another place of service."

Pagan paused in his recollections, and Dorothy spoke up. "Strange. No one here seems to know of this brotherhood, or of their master. But I suppose that it isn't that strange for a group composed of commoners to remain outside the walls of accepted history."

An eyebrow lifted in disbelief at her comment. "My dear, the brothers came from varying social classes. Many of the order were of noble houses."

"Indeed, it is because of the help afforded by the Master that elves joined the brotherhood as well. For quite some time, the ranks of the brotherhood were increasing. That they no longer appear as common knowledge in this realm is troubling." Pagan frowned, though the expression was mostly hidden by the lines in his face. "I wonder why."

"So, let us see who your man is."

A gesture and a word, and the pool in front of him began to swirl and coalesce into an image. A human form emerged, but hazy and indistinct. No discernable features existed, and though they waited for a few moments, nothing else changed. Pagan gestured again and the water returned to its normal state. For a few moments, he sat back and pondered.

"Ah, I know."

Again the gesture and the word, and yet again the pool swirled to form a figure. This time however, the image began to clear up and form a distinctive person. Dorothy leaned forward with bated breath. His back was towards her in the beginning, but she could tell that she was looking at an elf from his ears. As the spell continued his face came into focus, and as Dorothy fixed her gaze upon it, she received a shock. Piercing blue eyes were staring back at her.

-

Quatre fell silent in the middle of speaking. A far away look entered his eyes. Trowa looked over at his friend sharply, while the others looked concerned, but no one said anything. Finally Quatre came back, a sad look in his eye. Seeing the others looking at him, he shook his head slowly.

"Don't worry, it was nothing that had anything to do with us. Not yet, anyway."

Slowly the party returned to their previous work...

-

How long she remained locking gazes with the elf, she couldn't tell. When he finally looked away his eyes held a sad, knowing look. The spell ended and Dorothy sat back, shaking. _"He saw me."_

The words were more breathed than spoken, and went unnoticed by the old man beside her. Turning to him, Dorothy addressed him with a question. "Why didn't your spell work the first time? Is he that powerful?"

The old mage shook his head thoughtfully. "But my dear, it _did_ work."

"How could it have? There was only an indistinct form!" Having managed to compose herself again, Dorothy found herself irritated again with the old man. "How could that be when we saw him on the second try?"

There was a tired sigh from beside her. Pagan looked over at the young noble, and shook his head. "Think on it for a moment. The spell is only designed to show me what I ask of it. If I ask it something, and nothing is shown, it means that what I have asked for does not exist. Therefore, what I asked for does not exist - yet."

He regarded her for a moment, and then continued. "I asked the wrong question the first time. 'Who is' only brought me a hazy image, so the next logical question given my knowledge was, 'who _will _be'. That is the question that brought forth what you wished to know."

Dorothy looked over at him sharply as he rose. "Where are you going?"

"Back to prepare for the evening, of course. A banquet has been declared, with a time of negotiation afterward. My young charge will have need of my presence." Pagan walked away for a few paces before turning back to impart one final piece of advice. "Remember young one, knowing what question to ask is sometimes the most important part of finding the answer."

She didn't reply, merely standing and retreating towards the library again. There were other questions that still needed to be answered, and Dorothy was determined. However, she couldn't shake the memory of those eyes and the sadness that they held. It bothered her greatly, though there was no plausible reason that it should. After all, it was merely a stranger, one who threatened one of her kin.

It shouldn't bother her at all, and yet... for some reason, it did.

-

Alone in his room, Zechs waited. The act was drawing to a close, the familiar giving way to an uncertain future. Although his master considered him a mere pawn, the plans that he had set in motion were already beginning to bear fruit. Tonight his sister would preside over a sham, but she had capable protectors beside her.

And Noin would find her own light to shadow, away from the fading dream that she had clung to for so long. Zechs' lips drew up into a smirk at that thought. His master would not find things so easy as he might have supposed to eliminate those that had the power to oppose him.

His smile didn't last for long, however. His master was calling him now, best he attend and belay any suspicion on Treize's part toward his true motives.

"To think, I once called you my friend."

His footsteps echoed in the silent halls as he headed forth to his master.

-  
End Chapter  
-

AN: The last of the Dorothy/Pagan interaction, at least for a while. Other things come next, such as the banquet... where lots of people will probably be introduced. Also, Quatre and company have their own quest, which will bring a lot more action into the story. Expect Duo and Hilde to show up again, on top of the mountain this time. Wait, are they falling?!

And Zechs... is quite the hero. Despite being dead and all. More about that later, and maybe even a look at his past. You never know what's going to show up.

See you next time.


	16. Chapter 16: A Break Beforetime

_Author: While I've had a lot of trouble writing this lately, I thought you all might appreciate more being added - seeing as it is a new year and all._

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---

_At last! _

Hilde pulled herself over the edge of the cliff, thereby ending almost a day's worth of work. Too tired to stand, she crawled forward on hands and knees for a short distance before raising her head to look around. She was not prepared for the intricately designed structure that met her gaze.

If the sight of the cliff itself had awed her, the temple atop the prominence took her breath away. All the scrapes, bruises and tired muscles ceased to weigh upon her mind as she simply stared. Even Duo's arrival behind her did nothing to break the wonder of the moment. Only when a hand intruded in her vision did she finally break out of her awe and turn to look at the owner. Duo stood there, a grin on his face.

Hilde took the offered hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She started to speak, and then stopped as words failed her. "It's..."

"Uh-huh. Yep. All that and more." Duo's grin was tired, but still present. He turned his attention towards the temple. "Feel like moving into the shade?"

Hilde nodded, but hesitated as Duo started forward. "Do you think that they will mind?"

The shadow elf turned at her with a degree of confusion. "Who?"

"The gods."

Violet eyes sparkled and he looked like he wanted to laugh, but his voice was gentle enough when he spoke. "Hilde, the gods rarely use their temples for anything other than convenient places to gather their worshipers. Buildings are for the mortal races, those who reside upon this world. I'm certain that they won't mind us taking a rest under their roof. Besides, this is one place that has an open invitation for whoever wishes to come. You only need the will to make the journey; at least, that's what I was told."

"If you're sure about it, then I guess it should be okay." Hilde noted absently that Duo was still holding onto her hand. She gave a tired smile and leaned against him. "Help me walk over there?"

---

The sun was beginning to break over the horizon again as Rastis trotted out of the hut. The wolf shook himself vigorously in the fresh morning air before loping off to make his circuit of the sanctuary. Miduniel's horse eyed him nervously, but Rastis ignored it as he passed beyond the cleared area and into the forest beyond. Today marked the last in the ritual of succession; if anyone wanted to stop them, there would be some last attempt before they entered the ruins.

Trowa appeared in the doorway of the hut, buckets in each hand. Silently he walked over and prodded Trevor awake with his toe, and together the two went off to procure the day's supply of water. Midii stirred after they left, as the sunlight awakened her with its touch. She blinked into the glare before sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Steel Boy stood nearby, his nose buried in the plentiful grass that grew in the clearing.

The young woman watched her horse eat for a while, the stillness of the morning air bringing to her a sense of peace. All too soon she heard the sound of footsteps in the grass and reality returned. She stood up slowly, wrapping her blanket around her shoulders as she turned towards the water bearers. Trowa ignored her as he walked by and entered the dwelling. Trevor set his buckets down inside before returning to stand beside her.

"He is trying to come to terms with everything. It is difficult for him to realize that everything was not as simple as it first appeared. I had hoped that he would have been able to settle it before the trial, but…"

Midii shrugged. Whether he forgave her, or forever held on to his hatred didn't matter right now. She had her orders and would follow them, despite any hostility. The half-elf beside her sighed heavily. "…Forgive me, it would seem that those words are not needed right now. Would you perhaps desire to accompany us to the ruins?"

"Does _he _know that you are asking me this? After all, I could easily follow and betray your confidence at my pleasure." Midii grimaced and turned away from the hut. Her moment of happiness in the morning was fading fast, and the recent reopening of past bitterness threatened to overwhelm her again. A hand lightly touched her shoulder.

"Peace, Miduniel. He knows, but Quatre said that you were to be invited, and he did not raise any objections to your coming along. He is trying, and even if he still does not quite trust you, I _know _that you will not bring us harm." A shadow passed over the sun for a moment, darkening the clearing. "We all have to be present for the last portion of the ritual and it might be some time before we are able to return to this place. I do not know how long it will take us once we enter the ruins, but I do know that the wait here would be far lonelier than if you accompany us."

"I would not see you lonely, if you desired to be otherwise, Miduniel." The last portion was whispered, as if the speaker feared her reaction.

Midii stood quietly until the sun returned to the world. Slowly she turned and looked cautiously at the young man beside her. "I think if given a choice, that I would rather come with you. My mission is to find the Master of Light, and perhaps in time bring him to meet with my master. That would be best served if I stay close at hand."

A warm smile passed over Trevor's features. "Very well. I will inform the others of your decision."

Midii sighed and walked over to her horse. "Well Steel Boy, it looks like we'll be taking another journey." She absently tangled her fingers in the horse's mane while the animal proceeded on with his breakfast. When Steel Boy suddenly shied away, she stumbled and had to fight to regain her balance. Turning around to see what had startled her horse, she found the wolf walking through the clearing. It ignored Steel Boy as it trotted towards the hut, but stopped when it reached the door to stare back over its shoulder at Midii. When the creature showed no signs of moving inside Midii finally sighed and started towards the hut as well. "All right, all right! I'm coming."

Rastis let out a low growl and trotted inside. _'Pups.'_

-

They met in the clearing after breakfast with all their provisions. Midii stood off to the side, unsure of her place as the other three moved about the clearing. For a time Quatre stood speaking in low tones to his brothers while they marked out places around a circle. Afterwards, Trevor carried their belongings to the center of the circle, while Trowa finished marking out the six places equidistant around the circle.

"We're ready now, Miduniel." Quatre took his place at the head of the circle that was to form. Trowa took his place to Quatre's left, while Rastis lay down between them. Both the man and the wolf faced the center of the circle. Quatre pointed to the place opposite his own. "Can you lead your friend there?"

Nodding, Midii gathered up Steel Boy's reins and led the animal to the place indicated. Speaking softly in the horse's ear, she let the reins fall and stepped back. The animal stood stock still in place, and Trowa reached over and placed his left hand on its neck. "He will be fine."

It was the most words that he had spoken to her since the evening of her arrival, and she nodded. His piercing gaze held hers, and in it she saw something uncertain. Quatre's voice broke through the fog that seemed to have settled over her mind as he gently directed the last of the participants to take their places. Trevor guided Midii to the place beside Quatre, and then took his own post between her and Steel Boy. Quatre looked around the circle slowly before nodding once. "It begins."

The glade around them fell silent at the words, and out of the silence began a song. The voice that gave rise to the music was pure and strong, and Midii found her eyes drawn to the head of the circle. Quatre was singing, alone and yet the sound was beautiful. For long moments the sound haunted the clearing and then a subtle noise and another voice joined in. Trowa was singing.

It surprised her, the sound of his voice. A rich tenor, rising with words that she did not understand, he wove a harmony all his own. Beside him, Steel Boy snorted and Rastis made rumbling noises deep in his chest.

Quatre kept singing.

A light baritone joined into the song, and suddenly Midii found herself hearing a sound that compelled her to open her own lips. Her own soprano joined the music, though she still could not understand the words. The music flowed upwards as the circle completed itself. A brilliant glow lit up the clearing, and when it vanished, silence fell again.

In the silence a cicada sang from the trees beyond the clearing, a lonely song for the now empty land.

---

Hilde awoke suddenly with a feeling of loss. It took her a few moments of blinking and looking around to remember where she was. The temple surrounded her, but she couldn't detect anyone else. "Duo?"

He didn't answer immediately, but her ears picked up the light whisper of his footsteps hurrying in her direction. "Hey Hilde, you feel up to leaving now?"

The subdued tone of his voice drew her curiosity and she tilted her head to one side as she looked up at the shade. He almost sounded tired. "Duo, what's wrong?"

"Not a thing." He smiled

"Are you sure?" Hilde narrowed her eyes as she took his hand to pull herself up. "You don't exactly sound like everything is all right."

"Well, I _am_ tired. I had to expend quite a bit of power to pierce the illusion that covers the temple. But it wasn't like I had any trouble with it. I mean, c'mon! This is me that we're talking about." He grinned and winked, then winced at her glare. "…I guess I better show you what I'm talking about."

Duo turned and pointed towards the middle of the temple. Hilde's gaze followed in the direction that he indicated, and she allowed herself to gasp in surprise. A dais rose now in the center of the place, upon which a pedestal stood. The pedestal itself was empty.

"One of the legends told of a sword that lay in the one place that the gods held as sacred even to themselves. Until recently, it lay here upon the pedestal. At least, until a man drew it forth and gave his oath of justice to the heavens." Duo paused, lost in some memory or other. Shaking his head, he looked back at his companion. "While its disappearance bothers me, it could mean that when I do find the sword, I won't have to try to find the right person to wield it."

"I suppose that could be true." Hilde admitted. Suddenly her eyes narrowed. "Wait. How do you know that a man removed it? If you knew that, why did we come here?"

Duo blinked rapidly. A slow smile drew over his face and he waggled his fingers and muttered an incantation. The air in front of Hilde shimmered and drew together into the form of a man standing before the pedestal. His hands gripped the sword and he seemed to be speaking to something that could not be seen. The image faded as he drew forth the sword and turned to face her.

"That would be how I know that a man took the sword. A spell of seeing. Of course, the only thing that I can really tell from the impressions that I'm calling back is that he is a warrior. He already had a sword, yet he came to this place to find something that should have been impossible to see. Supposing that, he might also be a worker of magic, or a god-blessed - provided that they even exist in this day and age." Violet eyes narrowed as Duo frowned at his train of thought. "If there are god-blessed running amok, it might almost be as bad as the gods themselves returning to the land."

He turned his gaze back to Hilde, and his smile returned. "Eh, not that we can do anything about that right now anyway. _My_ next priority is to get down off of this mountain before we have to camp out here."

"You game?"

When Hilde nodded, he led her over to the edge of the cliff. Once there, he took a moment to touch the rock face with his fingertips, murmuring to himself as he did so. He was shaking his head as stood back up, but still grinned as he swept Hilde back up into his arms. "Ready?"

She nodded. Duo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You might want to hang on tight."

And then he stepped over the edge.

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_AN: One might wonder why I've returned to Duo/Hilde, and Quatre's company. This is for one simple reason: timing. There are many things in motion, and several will happen in the same moment. So, that's why I had to return here - to place all parties in their proper perspective. I hope that you all find this to do some justice to the tale, even if it isn't the Banquet quite yet. That part is indeed coming, it just needed a slight interlude for others to catch up._

_Glossary:_

**Vampyre**: Forsaken avatars of a dead god. They were former humans who sacrificed their soulsto a dark god in times long past in return for immortality and magic. This god led a war against the Shadow Elves because they refused to worship him as their patron deity. Vampyres were eventually sealed away, the god was killed, and they faded away into a myth.

**Shade**: (Shadow Elf) Common term used to refer to the Shadow Elves. With the disappearance of their cities, very few of this elusive race can be found in the world. They are commonly used as bedtime tales, as creatures of shadow with flaming eyes that haunt the hours of darkness. (Affinity: Earth, Fire, Shadow)


End file.
